Swindle by Gordon Korman

Swindle by Gordon Korman is about Griffin Bing, the "man with the plan". When he and his best friend, Ben, spend the night in the condemned Rockford building the night before it is to be knocked down, they never knew what kind of trouble they'd find. What they did find as a 1920 Babe Ruth baseball card. They took it to the local collectible store and sold it to S. Wendell Palomino (Swindle) for a whopping $120.00. It was only a few days later when Griffin saw Swindle on tv talking excitedly about his belief that he would earn over 1 million dollars when he put it up for auction! Griffin immediately devised a plan to get the card back, hoping he could sell it and save his family from financial ruin. Unfortunately, things didn't go exactly as planned - from a vicious attack dog, to a friend with narcolepsy, to a nosy neighbor - things just kept going wrong!

This was a great book! I really like Gordon Korman's books, and this was one of the funniest. You know an author is good when he can make you laugh right out loud! I found myself really hoping Griffin's plan would work and Swindle Palomino would get what he deserved - I never suspected the twists and turns that happened at the end of the story! Zoobreak is a recently released book by Gordon Korman, featuring the same characters. I'll be checking that one out soon!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is about Greg Heffley and his adventures (and misadventures) as a middle schooler. The story is told via Greg's journal (NOT a diary), and is complete with his own illustrations! Poor Greg - when he's not protecting himself from getting the "Cheese Touch", he has to deal with getting chased by high schoolers bent on stealing his Halloween candy, getting kicked off of safety patrols for chasing the kindergartners with fresh worms, having his dad smash up his snowman head (after he kicked his younger brother's snowman at his brother's head), or having his mom substitute for his teacher. These are just a few of the hilarious events that happen throughout this hilarious book about a wimpy kid.

OK, so this book is so funny that I burst out laughing during the middle of silent reading time and completely disrupted the entire library!! I have seen so many of my students reading the entire series, but this is the first time I've read any of them. I finished the book in a matter of a few hours, simply because it was so amusing and engaging! I totally understand why kids like this one!

The Big Splash by Jack D. Ferraiolo

The Big Splash by Jack D. Ferraiolo is about Matt Stevens, Franklin Middle School's one and only private investigator. Things at the Frank are run by a particularly foul bully named Vinny, who has a whole host of "employees" to do his bidding. Up until recently, one of these employees was Nikki Fingers, hit-woman extraordinaire. Her aim and speed with a cat-pee filled squirt gun was unparalleled at the Frank, sending many a victim to join "The Outs" after having been sprayed in the pants. At the beginning of 8th grade year, Nikki went back to being Nicole and tried to leave Vinny's crew - supposedly to set a good example for her 6th grade sister. Too bad she took something of Vinny's with her when she went. Vinny hired Matt to retrieve the item, a hula girl good luck charm. Unknowingly, Matt only served as a distraction... when they were talking, someone snuck up on them and "hit" Nikki with the squirt gun. The crowd in the hall was thrilled at seeing the most feared member of Vinny's crew taken down - Nikki was no longer feared, in fact, she was immediately a member of "The Outs", the shunned group of kids at the Frank. Now Matt's job is to find out who put the hit on Nikki... suspects include nearly everybody at Franklin Middle School! In the midst of his investigation, Matt discovers he may have feelings for two different girls, considers his old elementary school friendships with both Vinny and his new right-hand-man Kevin, and wrestles with how to do the right thing for himself, Nikki, and the Frank.

This was a really funny mystery! It reminded me of The Sopranos for adolscents! Vinny was the big boss-man who controlled all of the illegal activity at school (writing phony passes, selling candy, etc.) and took down anyone who crossed him using cat pee and a squirt gun. The author used a lot of hilarious similes to describe the situations.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson is about a 17 year old girl who just awoke from a year long coma and doesn't remember anything about her former life. Jenna Fox knows she was in an accident, knows she's supposed to call Claire 'mother' and knows that there are big secrets being kept from her. She's living with her mother and grandmother in a new house on the west coast while her father takes care of his business out east. For some reason, Jenna suspects her grandmother hates her, but doesn't know why. She's not allowed out of the house, not allowed to attend school... she's not even allowed to eat food - he has to take dietary supplements instead! Little by little, memories start coming back to Jenna, especially when she begins watching old home movies of herself. She also notices some small changes in her own appearance - different from what she sees on the videos. Jenna tries to investigate, and through a series of accidental discoveries comes to the realization that she is definitely not who she thought she was - what her parents did to save her after the accident was highly illegal and dangerous.

This was a great science fiction story! It really made me think about how far I would go to save my child. I loved the way the author unfolded the events. She kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, wanting to know what happened. I felt a little like Jenna - in the dark about what was happening in a strange world, finding out bits and pieces as we went along.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is about Junior, a high school student who lives on an Indian reservation in Washington State. Junior's family is poor, as are most of the Indian families on his reservation. His father drinks a lot, just like most of the adults on the reservation. There are a few things that set Junior apart from the other kids, though. First, he was born with "water on the brain" and suffered brain damage, leaving him prone to seizures. Second, he's really, really smart. Third, Junior is the kid everyone picks on. After a strange talk with one of his teachers, Junior decides to enroll at Reardon High School, in the closest town off of the reservation. It's a school filled with primarily white, small-town kids who all grew up together. Junior, or Arnold as they call him at Reardon, doesn't fit in there any better than he does on the reservation. To make matters worse, he has trouble just getting to school - the car breaks down, there isn't money for gas, his dad is too hung over, etc. Sometimes he has to make the 22 mile walk on his own! Things begin to look up for Junior when he begins making friends, gets a girlfriend (sort of) and makes the Reardon varsity basketball team. Unfortunately, things just get worse for him on the reservation. He begins to feel like he's 1/2 Indian at school and 1/2 white at home. He doesn't fit in anywhere. Junior takes solace in his drawings, finding strength and inspiration that help him get through the toughest times - including the death of his beloved grandmother and older sister.

What a fantastic book! It isn't written like anything else I've ever read - it's a mix between a free verse style and Diary of a Wimpy Kid journal/drawing. Parts are funny, parts are sad, most is touching. It certainly doesn't end with the typical "happy ending" that most books have. I think that's why I liked it so much. It's real.

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass is about three completely different teenagers who meet as a result of one of the most magical natural phenomena - a total eclipse of the sun. Ally (named Alpha after the brightest star in each constellation) lives with her family at Moon Shadow, a campground in the middle of nowhere that their family built years ago in preparation for the eclipse. She absolutely loves her life - nature, chores around the campground, homeschooling, even her little brother Kenny (most of the time). Bree, a beautiful, popular city girl, and her younger sister Melanie, just found out they will be moving to Moon Shadow just before the eclipse to take over the camp ground! Her parents are scientists and have been given a grant for their research. Bree's life is all about fashion, make up, shopping, and hanging out with the A-List girls from her school. She absolutely does not want to move to the middle of nowhere, despite how excited Melanie is. Jack is an average teenager from an average town. He tries his best to be invisible to everyone around. He's had a tough time, and seeks solace in his drawings and books. In order to avoid summer school (he failed science), Jack goes on a two week bus trip with his science teacher to see the eclipse and to possibly make an amateur scientist breakthrough! As a result of their experiences at Moon Shadow, these three teens end up changing in ways they never though possible.

This was a very sweet book. Each chapter is told through a different character's perspective, first completely unconnected, but intertwining as they all meet up at Moon Shadow. I really felt for Jack's character. For some reason, I found myself identifying with him the most. While his ending wasn't necessarily "happy", it did leave him with hope for a brighter future. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction!

H.I.V.E. (The Higher Institute of Villainous Education) by Mark Walden

H.I.V.E. (The Higher Institute of Villainous Education) by Mark Walden is about a unique training facility... it trains teens to be villains! Otto Malpence and Wing Fanchu found themselves being transported to H.I.V.E. after having been "retrieved" by fiends operating under Nero and Number One. H.I.V.E. is hidden within a seemingly active volcano on an uncharted island. Upon arrival, the boys quickly learn that thoughts of escape are futile. They, along with all of the other students at this school, were hand selected for their various talents. Otto just happened to hijack the teleprompter at the Prime Minister's latest speech and caused quite a scene, one of their other classmates in the infamous Wraith, who steals priceless jewelry from some of the most highly guarded buildings in the world. No one knows why Wing was chosen for H.I.V.E., but everyone has seen his unparalleled combat skills! Wing, Otto, and two other students hatch a plan for escape after Otto accidentally sees some blueprints of The H.I.V.E. Between the four of them, it looks like escape might actually be possible, if not for H.I.V.E.mind, the artificial intelligence agent who is everywhere and sees everything. Despite not having much to return to, the four of them desperately want to leave The H.I.V.E., and think they may have found a way to do it!

This book was full of action and cool technology! This is one of those books where I wanted to read ahead faster and faster because I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next!

Ghost in the Machine by Patrick Carman

Ghost in the Machine by Patrick Carman is the sequel to Skeleton Creek. In this book Ryan and Sarah continue working together to solve the mystery of the dredge and the mysterious secret society, The Crossbones. Ryan is still recovering from his injury at the dredge that he sustained just before the first book takes place. He tells the story of his and Sarah's escapades through his journal, while Sarah tells it through videos she emails to Ryan, using secret codes. Between the two of them, they put together several different clues which lead them to a very secret meeting of the remaining members of The Crossbones. Of course, Sarah sneaks in to the meeting place and sets up a camera! What they learn sends them back into the dredge, one final time before the town burns it down. Little did they know, they wouldn't be the only ones visiting the dredge that night, seeking the secrets of The Crossbones.

I liked this book just as much as the first, Skeleton Creek. I love the way the author tells the story through Ryan's journal and Sarah's movies. I was able to download all of Sarah's videos from iTunes (for free!) so I could watch them on my iPod when it was time in the story. This helped my enjoyment of the book a lot. When I read Skeleton Creek, I'd have to stop reading and find a computer to watch the videos at http://sarahfincher.com. Having the videos on my iPod made it portable! It is definitely necessary to watch the videos as they appear in the book - they are vital to your understanding of the story.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is about the tragic murder of Suzie Salmon, a 14 year old girl. It is told from the perspective of Suzie, through her memories of her family, through her experiences in life, and her reality in heaven. Suzie was survived by her mother, father, 13 year old sister, and 4 year old brother. Each of them deals with her death in their own way. Her father, trying desperately to pin the blame on their neighbor, Mr. Harvey. Her mother, who eventually has to leave the family to escape. Her sister, Lindsey, who tries to distance herself from her own last name and works to solve the mystery of her sister's life and death. And, Buckley, the 4 year old who just wants to move on while keeping Suzie's memory safe. Mr. Harvey, who in fact did kill Suzie in a most brutal way, trying to maintain his innocence while living 2 houses down from the Salmons. Suzie watches from her own version of heaven, seeing her family and friends grow without her. She knows an old acquaintance, Ruth, can feel her presence, but doesn't know how to reach out to her family to help them solve the crime.

This was a very good book. It took a very realistic look at an incredibly tragic event, following the path from the time of the murder through Suzie's eventual "letting go" of earth - years and years later. It makes me wonder (even hope?) if any of my loved ones are so closely with me in my day to day activities. This book is definitely for a more mature reader due to violence and language.