Distant Waves: A Novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn

Do you believe there are people who can predict the future? If someone had predicited the sinking of the Titanic, would you have been brave enough to still sail on this ship. The paranormal is a big part of "Distant Waves: A Novel of teh Titanic". This story involves Jane Taylor and her four sisters from the time period from 1898 to 1914. Jane's mother, Maude, is a widow who must find a way to support her family and she does have the "gift" of being able to talk to the dead. The birth of spiritualism which includes seances, tarot cards are a big part of this story. Jane is not quite a believer, but yet things happen that makes her think anything is possible. The five sisters follow a path that leads to them being on the Titanic on its fateful voyage. What happens to them is and what famous people do they meet on this path is a reason to read this book.
One of the nice parts of Distant Waves is the factual information that is woven through the fictional parts and the author fills in the blanks in her author's notes (you could even read these first before the book to get a better feel for the time period)

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Out of body experiences!!! How many of you believe this stuff can really happen? Well for Mia, it is happening right now. What started out as a regular day with her family in Oregon has a drastic turn of events. In Oregon a little snow gets Mia and her little brother, Teddy a snow day. Since their Dad is a teacher, he gets the day off too. Mom does not want to be left out and takes the day off also. The snow is not bad enough to keep them home, so they take off in the car to visit the grandparents and friends. On the way, the family is involved in a serious car accident and Mia is the only survivor with terrible injuries. Mia leaves her body and we follow her from the accident scene to the hospital and she tells us everything that is happening and while she is trying to figure out how this stuff works, she is reflecting back on her life, her family, her boyfriend. Why is she reflecting? Mia needs to make the decision on if she wants to stay alive and return to her body and deal with the loss of her family or should she just let go and join them in death. If you want to find out what Mia decides, you will need to pick up "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman and read it.

Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica

How many of you, guys & girls know what it is like to step into the pocket and wait for that perfect moment to throw the football? Well, Nate Brodie, an eighth grader does and it is what he lives for. That exact moment when he knows when and where to throw the football. If only the rest of his life was as simple. His dad lost a job he loved and is now working two jobs to make ends meet. His mother returned to work to help out. They keep telling Nate that all is ok, but is it really. I know that kids listen when parents don't think they can hear them talking about serious stuff and do kids then believe what the parents have to say. Add to that, Nate's, best friend for like ever, Abby, is losing her eyesight to some disease and it is going faster than expected. To add more pressure, Nate enters and wins a contest that will let him throw a football from 40 yards through a hoop at a New England Patriots game where his hero, Tom Brady plays. What does he get if the ball goes through? A million bucks!!!! What could you do with a million. Now Nate is feeling the pressure that he has to make that throw, to help his family, to help Abby. But all this worrying is hurting his game - he is no longer able to make the passes. What's he to do? To find out if Nate wins the million, gets his game back on track, and what happens to Abby, you will have to pick up the book and read it.

Pigboy by Vicki Grant

Have you ever snickered, giggled, or outright laughed when you heard someone's name? What if your last name was Hogg? Daniel's last name is Hogg and he has heard every joke imaginable with his name. It does not help that Daniel is scrawny in size, wears coke glasses or is blind, and is allergic to almost everything. The class bully Shane just loves to give Daniel grief. Then to top it off, the class field trip this year is to some lame place that his teacher picked. A pig farm that is run in the traditional way - no electricity, no modern equipment - how lame is that??? Shane has already made remarks about the connection to Daniels' last name and the farm. What could get worse? Once the students arrive at the farm, things don't seem right, the farmer, Mr. Van Wert doesn't act like what Daniel thinks a farmer should act like. As a tour guide, this farmer is lousy, but maybe, just maybe he might not be the farmer. Things get mysterious when Daniel needs to leave the group because of his allergies. What does he discover? What is going on at this farm? To find out more, pick up Pigboy and read it.

Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

Have any of you wanted to be a knight from the Medieval Times? In the Kingdom of Araluen, they had an interesting system. If you were an orphan, the kingdom took care of you and when you turned 15, you could choose or be chosen for one of the crafts in the kingdom. Your choices were Battleschool (knighthood), Diplomacy, Chef School, Ranger, plus others, and if none of these worked, you were sent out to the farms to work the fields and grow food for the kingdom. The main characters are Will and Horace, both orphans, but Will was dropped off as an infant and has no clue as to what his parents were like. But Will has dreamed that his father was a knight and had served his country well during the last war against Morgarath. So when the day comes to choose, Will is set for Battleschool. The downside is Will is small and wiry in build, not knight material and it is decided that he should become one of the Rangers. His wardmate, Horace though is selected for Battleschool, leaving a bad taste in Will's feelings for Horace. Will is not even sure what the Rangers do, except they are kept apart from everyone else. So Will goes off with his teacher, Halt, to learn to be an Apprentice. In Book One of the Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan, you will follow Will and Horace as they learn their new trade. At the same time, Morgarath is coming back to get revenge on the Kingdom for his defeat 15 years ago - will he be successful? What part does Will end up taking? What is that the Rangers do for the kingdom? To find out more, you will just have to pick up this book and read it.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer

ARe you ready for yet another vampire book? How about one with a little bit of a different twist. In Vladimir Tod, you find a hero who was not created, which is what most vampires are, created. You have to be bitten by another vampire to become one. In Vlad's case, he was born. Yes, born a vampire. His father was a vampire who fell in love with a human. They married, hid away from the vampire community and had Vlad. Unfortunately Vlad's parents were killed in a house fire 4 years ago. Vlad now lives with his mother's best friend Nelly who is a nurse and is able to supply Vlad with the blood he needs to eat. His best friend/drudge is Henry, who he bit when they were 8 years old and that is why Henry must serve Vlad. Though I have to say, Vlad doesn't take too much advantage of this. In "Ninth Grade Slays", Vlad is working with is father's best friend Otis through letters to better his mind control skills while attending Bathory High School. Henry likes to help all he can and gets Vlad to read minds of all the girls. Added to this mix is Henry's cousin, Joss who comes to live with Henry's family for the school year. This is when trouble rears its ugly head - Otis writes that there is a vampire slayer looking for Vlad. The vampire community is not to happy with the existance of a born Vampire and decide that he should be taken out. So not only does Vlad have to figure out how to speak with the girl of his dreams, Meredith, who he is always tongue-tied around and keep an eye out for some dude who wants to kill him. Makes for an exciting story and you must pick this one up to see what happens.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Survival of the strongest. A theory put forth by Charles Darwin, that only the strongest can survive. In the future, there no longer is a United States, instead there are 12 Districts all controlled by the Capitol. Each District grows or manufactures a product that is needed by the Capitol. To keep each District under the Capitol's rule(conflict of politics??)they have started the Hunger Games. Each District selects two candidates, one boy, one girl, between the age of 12 and 18, who go to the Capitol to fight it out to the end. Think Survivor, but instead of being kicked off the island, you are killed. In "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins you will join the hunger games as it is told by Katniss, the candidate from District 12. She is the sole provider for her family since the death of her father and steps up when her younger sister Prim was selected as the candidate. Kat is lethal with a bow and arrow and knows how to track animals and is used to being outdoors. One of her best friends is Gale who also is the head of his family and hunts with Kat. Along with Peeta, the male candidate, they head off to the Capitol for this years Hunger Games. Will she be the sole survivor, does she make friends with Peeta? What happens with Gale? To find out the answers to these questions, you will have to read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke

Have you ever wondered how pioneers made it through the hardships that they had to face? In "Love Comes Softly" by Janette Oke, you get to see first hand the problems and see the beauty of the land while following Marty deal with some tough emotional issues. Marty is our heroine who was moving west with her new husband late in the fall. Just as they find land to settle on, her husband Clem is killed in an accident and Marty is left stranded with no money, no family, no house. To her rescue comes Clark Davis, a widower with a small daughter who has lost his wife. He proposes a marriage in name only in exchange for Marty taking care of his daughter and raising her as her own. Stay through the winter and he would send both back east in the spring. Can this really work? Two people living in the wilderness, dealing with day-to-day living, who don't know anything about each other. Clark has a strong faith in God and Marty isn't sure that she even believes, but Clark's quiet, calm strength grows on Marty. A lot changes for Marty while dealing with her grief over her husband, and to find out if she stays or goes back east, you will need to pick up the book.

Nailed by Patrick Jones

Have you ever wondered what "normal" means when related to people. You've heard people say that person is just not normal or maybe you yourself have been told you are not normal. In "Nailed" by Patrick Jones, Brett is asking that same question and trying to figure out why his Dad doesn't like him, why teachers don't get his way of thinking. Of course Brett is not your jock type of person, but a pony-tailed, dyed different colors, punk wearing, band playing, individual. He acts in the school plays and has good grades on top of it all. He likes girls and finally gets a girlfriend but things don't always run as smoothly as Brett would like. While Brett is trying to figure himself out there is always the faction at school that has to give him grief - ridiculing him, calling him faggot, just plain making his life miserable. How much more of this can a person take? To find out how Brett deals with the questions, the bullys, and the girlfriend, pick up the book "Nailed" and read it.

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park. (Multicultural)

In our area we have a youth group called 4-H and FFA (Future Farmers of America). These two groups help kids learn about agriculture in fun ways, using projects, raising animals of your own, training them, etc. In the book by Linda Sue Park, "Project Mulberry" there is a similar group called Wiggles, not really the moving wiggles, but the acronym WGGL for Work, Grow, Give, Live gets called Wiggles. Two best friends, Julia and Patrick are members and decide they want to make a project that would win first place at the State Fair. This is where the trouble begins. What kind of project could they do? The team live in town houses that won't let you have animals, and Julia and Patrick really want to win, so it will have to be something way cool. Julia's mother comes up with an idea that really excites Patrick, but not so much Julia. Her mother suggests raising silkworms like her grandmother did in Korea. For you see, Julia is Korean and she really doesn't like to emphasis that fact and this project feels too Korean for Julia. But Patrick is really hyped about it and doing all kinds of research to get ready to grow silkworms. Will Julie go along with the project or does she come up with another idea. If she does, how hard is it going to be raise the worms and do they have enough time? To find out the answers to these questions, pick up "Project Mulberry" and find out.

Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff (Historical Fiction)

The Melting Pot - it is what the United States has been called for generations. Have you ever wondered why people from other countries wanted to leave all that was familair and come here to live. For many it was a difficult choice. In Nory Ryan's Song, Nory's family lives in Ireland during the time after the U.S. got independence from England and Ireland was still under control of England. Things were not too good in Ireland. Many of the Irish folk lived in cottages on land that is now owned by the English and they did not treat the Irish very well. Nory is the 3rd child of four, with her Da being out on a fishing boat to earn the money to pay the rent to the English. She lives in the family cottage with her sisters Maggie, Ceclia, and her brother, Patrick, called Patch, and her Granda. They are working hard to keep the family together without any coin to buy food. Potatoes are the main crop, but the crop has been destroyed by the black spots. Hunger is a prominent feeling in this story, there is never enough food to feed them. Then Maggie and her fiance decide that things have to be better in America and leave them. What will happen to Nory and her family when the English want the rent? How will Nory get food for her family? Pick up Nory Ryan's Song and find out what it was like in Ireland when the Potatoe Famine is starting.

Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac (Historical Fiction)

Are you good at keeping a secret? I admit that is not one of my strong things - keeping secrets. What if you were in the military and did a job that was so secret that you could not tell anyone what it was you did and I mean no one could know what you where doing. In "Code Talker" you will meet Ned Begay who after many years finally gets to tell his grandchildren what he did during WWII. Before he tells us what he did during the war, he backs up his story to when he was a little boy - to set the mood so to speak. For you see, Ned was a Navajo Indian who was sent to a school far away from his home to teach him English and the American Way. It was thought to be a good American - you had to give up being Indian. Then during WWII, these Navajo Indians with their language became our biggest secret - code talkers. What kind of hardships did these brave soldiers have to endure? What exactly was a code talker and how did they help the United States? To find out more, pick up this book by Joseph Bruchac and find out.

"Flipped" by Wendelin Van Draanen (Realistic Fiction)

Do you really think you know people? Or do you see what you want to see. In "Flipped", you get to meet Juli and Bryce, neighbors since Bryce moved into the house across from Juli in the second grade. When Juli saw Bryce for the first time, she flipped over him - those blue eyes, dark hair. Bryce on the other hand took one look at Juli and tried to stay out of her way. For the next couple of years, Juli would talk, and Bryce would hide. Then in eighth grade, things flipped, Bryce starts seeing Juli in a different light and Juli is seeing Byrce differently too. What's up with that?
Do they end up happy as a couple, or do they end up as enemies? The cool thing about this book is you get to hear Juli's and Bryce's side of what is happening, since there are always two sides to every story - "he said, she said" kind of thing. You will have to pick up the book "Flipped" by Wendelin Van Draanen to see what happens.

"Dear Miss Breed" by Joanne Oppenheim (Non-Fiction)

How many of you remember 9/11? If not what about the latest terrorist attack at the airport? Did you notice how some people will treat Muslims differently after these incidents - like it is all their fault. That they themselves had a hand in it, even though you have seen them every day for the last however long. Do you think this is the first time that has happened in the United States? Well, it isn't. In fact many times, just being associated with the culture that did the deed, makes you as guilty as the guilty party. In "Dear Miss Breed", the author, Joanne Oppenheim takes us back to a time in history right after Pearl Harbor. She connects us to the Japanese Americans who lived in San Diego who were moved to internment camps in the center of the U.S. In this real story of Miss Clara Breed, a Children's Librarian at the San Diego Public Library opens up to us through a series of letters that were written to her by her young patrons from these camps. Through these we learn of the hardships, loss of family, and the prejudice they all encountered. We will follow them from being told to leave their homes to after the war and see what happens to these children. Over 200,000 Japanese Americans were interred during WWII and in this book you will learn exactly what happened. Oppenheim also was able to connect with some of these children to interview them on what they remembered, so you will get first hand accounts.
If you like to read about real people and how history shaped their lives, then this is the book for you.

"to dance a ballerina's graphic novel" by Siena Cherson Siegel

How many of you took dance lessons when you were a little child? Did it make you want to just dance all the time? If you did not and are wondering why someone would want to take up dancing, then "to dance" is the story you need to read. In this graphic novel, a story told with pictures if you did not know what that was, Siena Siegel takes you on her personal journey of becoming a dancer. The pictures tell as much of the story as her words do. You follow her from her home in Puerto Rico to New York and back again until the family decides to move to New York permanently for Siena to study dance. What was it like to go to school, then to dance classes, and then repeat for 5 days a week. Talk about dedication. To find out more, read the book.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Suicide, a scary word, that none of us ever really want to hear. Has anyone ever known anyone that committed suicide? I have and to this day I wonder what events led my friends 16 year old granddaughter to hang herself in the family barn. I still remember my friend not understanding either even though there was a note left behind that said Tiffany loved her family, but no explanation to WHY. In one of our conversations, Janet (the grandmother, who was raising Tiffany), told me that when she got to heaven, the first thing she was going to do was get Tiff and make her explain the Why's. In Thirteen Reasons Why, Clay receives a box of cassette tapes in the mail, seven tapes, 13 sides of why Hannah Baker, a fellow student decided to end her life. Clay is one of thirteen people who listen and follow Hannah's story and how this will affect how he views the people around him. To find out more, just pick up this book and read it.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Adult book for YA

Do you believe that everyone has a certain path to follow? Do you ever wonder what your path is? In "The Alchemist", Santiago, our hero, goes off on a quest to find his "personal legend". As our story begins, Santiago is living in the southern part of Spain and explains to us how he chose to be a shepherd of sheep. His parents had wanted him to be a priest and while at seminary, Santiago realizes that he wants to travel and see a bigger world, so his father gives him his inheritance and says the only people who travel are shepherds. Then the story jumps into Santiago's present where he has a dream of going to the pyramids and finding a great treasure. The next day, an old man claiming to be a king presents himself to Santiago and talks about the paths people follow, the risks, how some never find their personal legend even though it is there for all. Santiago decides that he must follow the dream to fullfill his legend and along the way he meets some good people, some bad people, and the love of his life. Does he find the treasure? What obstacles will be set in his path, how will his faith be enough. This is a very spiritual story that made me look at my choices to find my personal legend. Read it and it might set you on your own course to find your personal legend.

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry

Do you ever wonder what the future will be like? Lois Lowry's "The Giver" does just that, gives you a taste of what the future could be like. In this ethiopian society, there is no more war, there is plenty of food to eat, each family has two children; a boy and a girl. Children are given their life assignments based on their personality and talents. It is on this special day that we meet Jonas, one of the children ready to embark on his chosen career. What career will he get, will he be happy with what the elders have chosen for him? Jonas is given the job of "Giver" and this gets him started on a path that maybe he does not want to take especially after he learns more about what the job the Giver has. To find out what job the Giver has and what decisions Jonas will make, you will have to pick up Lowry's "The Giver" and find out for yourself.

Booktalk for "Rats Saw God" by Rob Thomas

Have you ever been in love, really in love? Or how well do you think you get along with a parent, especially if one parent was a famous astronaut? In "Rats Saw God" you will meet Steve York, a senior at a San Diego high school on the verge of not graduating. A typical day for Steve is to score some weed, maybe attend a class, and just get through the day. Unfortunately, or fortunately one day he gets caught high in English class and gets sent to the counselor's office. The counselor, Mr. DeMouy is curious to find out why a straight "A" student in Texas is now failing most of his classes and is close to not graduating at all. Mr. DeMouy sees something in Steve and sets him on a mission; write a 100 page document or attend summer school in order to graduate. You get to follow Steve as he writes about the past three years of his life, his move to Texas with his father, "the astronaut", his friends, and meet the love of his live, Dub. In between these chapters you will see what he is doing with his life in San Diego and what the future will end up holding for him, kind of a story inside a story.

Booktalk for Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a twin? To be half of a whole? Now fraternal twins are two eggs at the same time, but to be identical twins is to be one egg that split into two little beings at the same time. How does that shape your lives, who you are, what you want to do. In Identical you will meet Raeanne and Kayleigh, identical twins who are struggling with a very dysfunctional family. Mom is a high powered soon to be elected Congresswoman. She is never home and when she is, you don't really connect with her unless you are sharing a bottle of wine. Then there is Daddy, the Judge, who pays "Special" attention to Kayleigh (not in a good way), spends too much time drinking Turkey whiskey and popping pills. Then you see how each of the girls deals with this lack of parenting and what it all stems from. The story told in verse with each of the twins speaking seperately, but the story flowing from one girl to the next. What kind of ending can this dysfunctional family find when one girl binges, purges, cuts herself to let out the pain and the other uses drugs and sex to deal with their issues. I was totally suprised at the ending of this book and you will be too, but first you have to dive in and read it.

The Disreputable History of Franki Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.

Here is a book that starts off with an apology from our heroine. Why is she apologizing and what for? Frankie attends a prepratory high school in upstate New York and is beginning her sophomore year. Seems pretty normal doesn't it, but along the way Frankie encounters what can only be called the "Good Old Boy System" and it is how she views it, deals with, and maybe wants to change it that make up this wonderful story. Along the way she falls in love with the "cutest, best" senior, Matthew Livingston, but he really doesn't see Frankie the way she wants to be seen. Part of this story has to do with how we perceive each other, ourselves, and the world around us. So to find out more, you will have to pick up this book and read it.

Book talk for "Catalyst" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Do you think you have everything under control? By control, know where you are going after graduation, everything is planned out and all you have to do is connect the dots. Well, Kate Malone thought her life was going as planned - super smart, did what was expected of her, great distance runner, but then life has a way of throwing wrenches into well thought out plans. MIT doesn't accept her, her arch enemy - Teri Litch is now living in her house with her little brother and life is suddenly out of her control. What more could happen? If you want to learn how Kate loses control and deals, read "Catalyst"