A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is based on the true story of Salva Dut, a young man from Southern Sudan.  There are two main stories within this novel.  The first is of Salva beginning in 1985 when he is forced to flee from school when war rages nearby.  Salva had to run from his family and his village just so he could be safe.  Salva spent the next 11 years either walking toward refugee camps or living in terrible conditions in the refugee camps in both Kenya and Ethiopia, never knowing what happened to his family or village but fearing the worst.  Eventually, Salva is taken in by an American family and is brought to New York.  It is there where he has a fantastic idea that would lead to great changes in his home country of Sudan and to a very welcome and unexpected surprise!

The second story is of Nya, a young girl living in Southern Sudan in 2008.  The only thing she does every single day is walk to the water supply and bring water back to her family.  She is able to make two trips each day, carrying the full water container across the desert on her head.  Things are not good in Nya's village because their water supply is tainted.  Many people become sick from the water, including her younger sister.  Then one day, strange men show up in the village and begin work digging for water.  Nya is certain they will never find water there, but watches in fascination as their well eventually fills with cool, clean water!  It turns out, a very special person was responsible for this well being brought to Nya's village, and to other villages across Southern Sudan.

This was an incredible story!  It was based on the life of Salva Dut, a friend of the author.  This is a story I would recommend to everyone.  Not only is it the story of bringing water to the remote villages of Sudan, and the journey and struggles of an amazing man, it is a story of perseverance and strength of character.  This story reminds me of the book, Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate, another story about a boy from Sudan.

We Want You to Know by Deborah Ellis

We Want You to Know by Deborah Ellis is a compilation of stories told by kids who were bullied and bullies.  In each of the five sections, kids from ages 10 through 19 share their experiences and the ways bullying impacted their lives.  This was a very powerful book.  As a result of reading these personal stories, I have decided to make some changes in the way I work with my homeroom students.

Babymouse: Queen of the World by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Babymouse: Queen of the World by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm is about Babymouse and her quest for popularity.  She is convinced if she gets an invitation to Felicia Furrypants's slumber party, they'll become best friends.  So, Babymouse tries just a bout everything to get an invite... she bakes cupcakes, recommends books, and even gives Felicia her book report!  Finally, she receives an invitation!  But, it turns out to be the same night as her movie party with her best friend Winston.  Knowing Winston will understand, Babymouse attends the sleepover instead.  What she finds out is that in her quest for becoming queen of the world, Babymouse overlooked the fact that her life was pretty darn good to begin with!

This was a cute story that just about any girl who's attended school will be able to relate to.  Poor Babymouse doesn't realize that she has everything she ever wanted because she is so focused on hanging out with the popular kids.  This is a graphic novel and a quick read.  I'd recommend it to girls from 4th grade through 6th grade.

Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

Stolen Children by Peg Kehret is the story of a babysitting job gone horribly wrong.  Amy is called at the spur of the moment to fill in for Mrs. Edgerton's usual nanny who has gone on vacation.  Amy is having a lot of fun playing with 3 year old Kendra.  While Kendra takes her nap, Amy relaxes by the family's pool.  An hour and a half later, Amy goes to check on Kendra and finds her missing.  When she runs out into the street, she sees Kendra with two strange men... kidnappers.  Once they see Amy, they decide to change their plan and take her too.  Their plan is to ask Kendra's wealthy family for ransom after holding the girls for one week.  Smokey and Hugh hadn't bargained on Amy's unique survival skills, though!  She begins sending messages through the DVDs the kidnappers are recording of the kids!  Hoping that this is enough to lead the police to them, Amy does her best to continue taking care of Kendra.  She's terrified about the 7th day, however, because the kidnappers never talk about her and what will happen when they return Kendra to her family.  Fearing the worst, Amy looks for every opportunity to lead the two of them to safety.

This was a great story and a quick read.  It's short, but full of action and suspense throughout.  I really like the way the author wove in little side stories about characters who had come in contact with the kidnappers and the kids.  I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good suspense novel that isn't too scary.

The Mystic Phyles Beasts compiled by Stephanie Brockway and Ralph Masiello

The Mystic Phyles: Beasts, compiled by Stephanie Brockway and Ralph Masiello, is Abigail Thaddeus's journal.  Abby has lived with her crazy grandmother and her very strict grandfather ever since her parents died when she was a baby.  One day, Abby is contacted by a "Devoted Friend" through a letter delivered by a black cat!  The letter advises Abby to begin researching mythical beasts - some common, such as Bigfoot, unicorns and dragons, but some uncommon such as giant flying bats known as ahools, the bunyip, and the giant spider tsuchigumo.  She has to sneak around to do this research because she knows her grandfather would never approve.  Strange things begin happening as Abby and her close friend Charley delve deeper into the secrets of these beasts.  Abby begins to suspect that her grandfather is keeping some sort of secret and that her grandmother knows more than she's letting on...

This was a really fun read.  I loved the way the story was told through Abby's research and the diary entries about her daily life.  I also really liked the way the story unfolded, and we learned more about Abby, her grandparents, and their connection to the mythical beasts she's been studying.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about cryptozoology (the study of strange creatures) and those who enjoy a diary/journal style novel.

The Dead by Charlie Higson

The Dead by Charlie Higson takes place just over a year prior to his first novel, The Enemy.  This is when the dangerous disease that turns anyone over the age of 16 into a decaying, flesh eating zombie is just taking over all of the adults.  This story follows a group of boys from a private school as they fight to escape their teachers, and make their way through the streets of London, trying to find safety.  Along the way, they pick up several other kids who have had their own struggles dealing with losing their parents and friends to this terrible disease.  Whether they're called zombies, strangers, sickos or mothers and fathers, the diseased adults are the walking dead - covered in pus filled boils and oozing blood.  The only thing they seem to want is children... for dinner!  For the children, survival seems bleak and some simple give up.  Others create their own religion to give them solace, and still others just take everything one step at a time, becoming leaders despite believing they never could.

This was just as awesome as the first book!  It is filled with excitement, suspense, horror, adventure - everything you could want in a good sci fi action thriller!  I really liked the way the author took a closer look at the disease and developed theories for the driving force behind the sickos' need for human flesh.  I would recommend this book to anyone who has a strong stomach (definitely for more mature readers who can handle the violence) and who enjoys a good thriller.  Fans of The Hunger Games Series and The Maze Runner Series will enjoy this!

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin is about a puzzle solving maniac named Winston.  His interest in  solving complicated puzzles has always been a fun past time for Winston.  He could never have predicted it would come to serve him well in a real-life treasure hunt!  It all started when Winston bought a neat little keepsake box for his sister at his favorite antiques/curiosities shop.  When she opened it on her birthday, Kate found a hidden compartment with a puzzle clue.  This clue brought him to the town's librarian, the sister of the previous owner of that box.  Violet, Kate, Winston, and two professional treasure hunters embark on the hunt of their lives, in search of a fancy ring worth a lot of money.  Plagued by mysterious burglar, the group works through a series of clues only to find they didn't actually possess everything they needed to make it to the final destination... and the one who ends up with the final piece of the clue will shock and surprise you!

This was a really fun read!  The entire book is filled with a variety of different kinds of puzzles to solve, in addition to the clues that lead to the treasure.  As a reader, I enjoyed stopping to try to figure them all out.  They were challenging enough to take a while to solve, but not so hard as to make them impossible (although, I did have to peek at the answers on a few!).  I would recommend this book to mystery lovers as well as anyone who likes a fun read.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt is about Holling Hoodhood and his 7th grade year at Camillo Junior High in 1967.  Holling is the only student in Mrs. Baker's class who does not attend Hebrew School or Chatechism on Wednesday afternoons.  Because Mrs. Baker loves it, Holling is assigned to read Shakespreare!  Little does he know his extra time with Mrs. Baker will lead to Holling playing a fairy in a community theater production, the escape of two giant rats, the entire class receiving fresh baked cream puffs from the local bakery, a new track star, and Holling learning more about himself and about life than he ever could have imagined.  All of this is set to the backdrop of the United States's war with Vietnam, the fight for civil rights, and America's favorite past time - baseball!

This book was awesome!  It was absolutely hilarious in some parts and sad in others.  Even though it is set during the 1960s, Holling deals with a lot of things kids are dealing with now - bullies, girls, homework, family, etc.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a funny book with a good message.

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown is about high school junior Alex.  All Alex wants is to someday get to Colorado with her two best friends, Bethany and Zack.  Colorado was her mother's ultimate destination the night she left her family and was killed in a car accident.  Alex is convinced that she will find a missing connection with her if she can make it to the mountains.  The "Three Headed Monster" (Alex and her friends) have been planning the trip since they were 8 years old.  Every Saturday night they had a standing date to get together and plan.... that is, until Alex starts dating the new (and very attractive) senior, Cole.  Cole seems to be the perfect guy.  He's got it all:  looks, charm, athleticism, etc.  However, he does not get along with Bethany and Zack.  Feeling compelled to spend more and more time with Cole, Alex ends up alienating herself from the people she cares about most, blowing off their planning sessions and forgetting about previous commitments.  But, the worst part is, Alex is beginning to see a nasty side of Cole.  He can become downright mean, even violent, in an instant.  Alex tries to wrap her mind around the different sides to Cole, knowing she shouldn't be with him, but feeling as though she can't be without him.

This was a very powerful story.  It really takes an in-depth look into the mind of someone who is being abused.  It makes you think about what you would really do if you were in a situation like Alex's - just how difficult it would be to leave.  I would recommend this book to pretty much any teen.  It is for a more mature reader due to physical situations, violence, and some language.

Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci

Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci is the sequel to Streams of Babel and picks up immediately where the first book ends.  In this story the Trinity Four (brothers Owen and Scott, Rain, and Cora) are sent to an historical house in New Jersey to continue their recovery after having been poisoned by terrorists.  Recovery is difficult due to the amount of medication each takes and because of the continuing symptoms like painful headaches, sore throats, and fatigue.  The teenage v-spies (hackers), Tyler and Shahzad, who constantly search for chatter among the terrorists stumble upon a new plot by the same group of extremists.  This time, it has to do with a terrible strain of the very same disease the hackers were infected with when they crashed the terrorists meeting.  Except, this new strain actually burns the victim from the inside leaving nothing but a pile of goo and bones.  The race is on trying to find the terrorists before they can infect an entire aeronautics convention and hundreds of innocent bystanders with this awful WMD while trying to keep the Trinity Four healthy and safe - from both the terrorists and from themselves.

This was a great sequel!  I really liked the way everything was wrapped up with the Trinity Four and with the hackers.  All of the problems were resolved nicely and all of the questions were answered.  I would recommend this book to older and more mature readers due to language, innuendo, and violence.