Sarah's Reading

Helicopter Man, by Elizabeth Fensham

Written in journal form, this tense little book relates the adventures of Peter Sinclair. He and his father have been on the run, living rough, since his father heard helicopters coming for them soon after his mother disappeared. As the adventure turns dangerous and his father's behavior becomes more and more errartic, Peter must decide how far he's willing to go and how much he's willing to sacrifice to be with his father. While the ending is a little predictable, the book overall is worth reading for the unique experiences of the main character.

The Crimes and Punishments of Miss Payne, by Barry Joneberg

Calma and Kiffo are unlikely allies in the ongoing war between student and teacher. Between the two of them, they've successfully driven a multitude of teachers to tears. But when Miss Payne arrives, she lives up to her name. Try as they might, they can't get under her skin, and so drastic measures must be taken. Before it's all over there will be motorcycle chases, clandestine meetings at midnight, attack dogs, and a run through the high school gossip mill. A hilarious and moving picture of friendship, this is a great book, sure to keep the reader laughing out loud.

The Minister's Daughter, by Julie Hearn
	1645, England: The countryside is home to human, piskie, and faerie, all living together in a balanced, if not always harmonious existence. Into this world ruled by nature come the new minister and his two daughters. With them they bring secrets that have the potential to destroy the village and all who live there. This fantasy/historical fiction hybrid slowly builds suspense while giving the reader insight into historical events that would forever change the world of man. An interesting read, well worth the time invested.
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Voodoo Dreams, by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Voodoo Dreams, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, relates the fictionalized life of Marie Laveau, a legendary voodooienne in 19th century New Orleans. Through one woman's life, the novel creates a historical snapshot of the melting pot at the mouth of the Mississippi, in all its decadence and depravity. Through Marie the novel delves into the mysterious world of voodoo, while the rich, often surreal, narrative compels the reader to follow as Marie evolves from girl to powerful priestess.

Angels & Demons, by Dan Brown
	The first book written using the Indiana Jones-like character Robert Langdon, Angels and Demons is a fast paced thriller set during a Vatican conclave in Rome. As in The Da Vinci Code, it's again a race against the clock, at stake: the very lives of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, as there's a bomb of unbelievable strength hidden somewhere within the enormous Vatican City. Only by unraveling the clues do Langdon, and his female cohort Vittoria, have a chance to keep those locked in conclave and the thousands of faithful gathered for the announcement of the new pope from horrible deaths. This is not great literature, but the author does throw in enough interesting historical tidbits to keep the reader interested in what would otherwise be a very predictable story.
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Thief in the House of Memory, by Tim Wynne-Jones

When Dec was 10 his mother disappeared, leaving behind a void in his family's lives. Now, six years later, he is haunted by her absence and by the looming shadowy house on the hill. The same house that his family abandoned after his mother seemingly vanished into thin air. When an intruder is found dead in the old house Dec is pulled into a web of long buried secrets and lies where nothing is as it seems. This book is a compelling mystery and more, expertly detailing family relationships and the importance of friends.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, by James Patterson

Fourteen-year-old Max is the leader to a group of escaped kids who, as a result of horrific bio-engineering experiments, are 2% bird. When Angel, the youngest member of their 'flock' is kidnapped, the group flies after her, desperate to keep her from being returned to the nightmarish existence of the lab. This fast-paced sci-fi thriller is the first foray into the young adult literature field for prolific adult author James Patterson. An easy book to read, it keeps the reader turning pages with short chapters and exciting action. The first of a series, this book will leave you eagerly awaiting the next episode.

LBD: Live and Fabulous, by Grace Dent
	Fleur Swan, Claude Cassiera, and Ronnie Ripperton are back in this fabulous sequel to LBD: It's a Girl Thing. In this installment the girls manage to wrangle tickets to the three day monster Astlebury music festival. The problem, their parents won't let them go! But little challenges like this only strengthen their resolve. Through a lot of wheeling and dealing that includes signing a contract put together by the parents that lists provisions such as, "We agree to call home once a day. We agree not to talk to weirdos.We agree not to bring the Swan, Ripperton, or Cassiera families under newspaper or television scrutiny because of any manner of irregular activity," the trio is off on an adventure in which they will break almost every single rule and have a ridiculously fun time in the process. Light reading, this book is a great choice for fans of The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares or the Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison.
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Looking for Alaska, by John Green

Sixteen-year-old Miles, sick of his insipid existence at public school in Florida, leaves for boarding school in Culver Creek, Alabama, in search of the "great perhaps." There he meets Chip, Alaska, and Tukumi, and begins a semester fraught with danger, tenderness, hilarity and sadness. A true coming-of-age story and perfect for older teens, Looking for Alaska is a brilliant debut that will stay with you long after the final page is read.

Daniel Half-Human and the Good Nazi, by David Chotjewitz

In 1932 all best friends Daniel and Armin want is to serve in the Hitler Youth and help their hero become the leader of Germany. When Hitler does come to power Daniel asks permission to join the party only to be given the worst of blows, his mother was born Jewish, making him half-Jewish and therefore ineligible for the Hitler Youth. Ashamed, Daniel keeps the news hidden from all, including Armin, but his secret can only be discovered as the atmosphere in Germany becomes more and more oppressive. The complexity of the rise of the Nazi party and Hitler is brought home in Daniel Half-Human and the Good Nazi, a story of two friends caught up in a wave of social, political, and historic upheaval.

Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood , by Benjamin Alire Saenz
	Sammy Santos has always had a plan, to go to college and leave behind the life of poverty and prejudice in his small community. But plans change. His life is fundamentally altered the day he meets Juliana, a tough, sad, beautiful girl whom he falls for after she warns him "Someone's gonna hurt you, And you're gonna wish you never had a heart." With beautiful prose, complex characters, and deadly accuracy, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood describes one boy's senior year in Hollywood a late 1960's Las Cruses, New Mexico barrio. This book is a powerful look at a community's dreams and the losses that come from those dreams shattering.
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An alchemy of Mind: the Marvel and Mystery of the Brain, Diane Ackerman
	The science of the brain, memory, thought, emotion, and dreams are the focus of this gorgeously written book. As in her previous works of nonfiction, Ackerman brings complex science to a general audience with her lush descriptions and brilliant turns of phrase. Best savored slowly, this book will have readers returning to it's pages again and again.

The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse, Robert Rankin

Jack makes his way to the City, to seek his fortune, because that's where everyone says fortunes are found. It comes as a shock to Jack then, to learn that the city is Toy City, inhabited exclusively by wind-up tin soldiers, dolls, and talking tables and ruled by the characters of nursery rhymes. Quickly he finds himself enlisted to help Eddie, a detective teddy bear and assistant to Bill Winkie (mysteriously missing in action), solve the recent murder of Humpty Dumpty. When Little Boy Blue turns up dead with a chocolate bunny beside him just like Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Eddie realize there's a serial killer on the loose. Their quest to stop the madman leads them frantically from one side of Toy City to the other in this novel filled with wonderfully black humor, drunken toys, and ominous chocolate bunnies.

Vernon God Little, D.B.C. Pierre
	Fifteen-year-old Vern can't catch a break. His mother is an emotionally infantile, life sucking, mess of a woman, involved in a long, drawn-out, and futile struggle for neighborhood supremacy with her friends, the self appointed moral backbone of the community. He can't get a job, or a girl friend, and to top it all off, his best friend walked into school yesterday and spray-painted a round of bullets into his teachers and classmates before turning the gun on himself. And somehow, even though he wasn't even there, Vern is now the number-one suspect for these killings. In this Booker Prize winning novel, the author paints a brilliant satiric portrait of an American culture obsessed with celebrity and violence. Vern's teenage voice is crass, sarcastic, and dead-on making the reader cringe and laugh out loud often in the same paragraph. Consumerism, the justice system, and the media are all targets for this hilarious book that will leave you aching from belly laughs and heart-break.
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TTYL, by Lauren Myracle

Three sophomores, friends since elementary school, are determined to remain friends, even though they've been told that high school friendships never last. Written entirely as text messages between the three, TTYL is a fast read that touches on the typical trials of high school: boyfriends, mean girls, and the struggle to find one's place. Eighth graders and higher will appreciate this light novel, a perfect vacation read.

Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel

Matt is cabin boy aboard the Aurora, a zephlin-like luxery airship that runs all over the world. When the ship comes upon a balloon in distress with a single dying passenger babbling about "beautiful creatures," he makes nothing of it until a year later when a girl comes aboard out to prove the existence of these creatures and clear her grandfather's name. Together they will set on a quest that will test their very limits. A rolicking adventure tale set on the open sea of the sky, Airborn is a fast, fun read, sure to keep you engaged from start to finish.

How I Live Now, by Meg Rosoff
	In How I live Now, Daisy, a savvy New York native, hates her stepmother. Now that the monster is pregnant, Daisy jumps at the chance to go for an extended visit to her aunt and cousin's in the English countryside. Soon after her arrival, Daisy's aunt, a diplomatic liaison, is called away on a weekend business trip. The next day bombs go off in London and the country is occupied. Safe within the relative isolation of the farm, Daisy and her cousins are unaffected by the surrounding chaos, but this Eden-like existence is threatened as the war progresses and they are confronted with the realities of war. This riveting and astonishing book, appropriate for grades 8 and up, and winner of the Printz Award, is a story of love, hate, war, and the power of survival.
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Letting Go of Bobby James, or How I Found Myself of Steam, by Valerie Hobbs

Sixteen-year-old Sally Jo Walker needed to get her life in order. After being abandoned in a Florida rest area bathroom by her new husband, Bobby James, she must come to terms with the events that led her there and create a life of her own. The strong down-home voice of the narrator makes it feel cozy, intimate, and familiar. A fast and easy read, this slight book is funny, sad, and true at the same time.

Luna, by Julie Ann Peters

Luna is Regan's sister, trapped in the body of her brother Liam. Luna is Liam's true self, the self that he must keep hidden except at night. Regan has kept Luna a secret for years, but now Luna is coming out during the day, and Regan must come to terms with her sibling's struggle to claim his true identity as a girl. A fast read, appropriate for eighth grade and upwards, this novel is an engrossing look at a subject only beginning to be discussed within YA literature.

Amaryllis, by Craig Crist-Evans
	Through letters home, flashbacks and recollections Amaryllis is a portrait of the 60s, Vietnam and the pains of coming of age. This is a sad book, it looks unflinchingly at the atrocities of war on everyone involved, those who go to fight, those who they are fighting, and those who are left at home.