Vampire High by Douglas Rees

Rating: 8.5 of 10 stars

Due to his father's new job, Cody Elliot's family has moved to New Sodom, Massachusetts, from California. By way of protest to the move, Cody can't be bothered doing much of any work in his new high school. He achieves an F in science, math, social studies, physical education, and English. His father demands to know how he even managed to get an F in homeroom, and is not happy to discover that it was because he didn't bother to show up.

In answer to this poor attitude, Cody's parents decide that he will have to attend a new school, a private school. It will be either Our Lady of Perpetual Homework, or the Vlad Dracul Magnet School. Since the concept of homework doesn't appeal to him, he opts for his first interview at Vlad Dracul.

After a very, very short meeting with the headmaster, Cody is admitted, despite his terrible grades, and realizes that something is quite different about the place. Was it was the pale complexion of all those tall slim students? That they all wore sunglasses out of doors? Or that the headmaster had a yellow-eyed wolf, Charon, for a companion? Hmm.

Later he discovers the reason for his speedy acceptance: he has promised to try out for water polo. It seems that, for Vlad Dracul to receive its state funding, it must provide for this competitive sport. Unfortunately, almost all of the other students are unwilling to swim. Is there a reason for all of these oddities?

Vampire High turns on its head the usual story of the odd stranger who doesn't fit in: the new student is one of the very few who *isn't* a vampire. The story is fast-paced, funny, and with enough real high school struggles and surprises for this reader's taste. All in all, a toothsome tale!


Usual borrowers: Fifth through eighth grades
Genres: Fantasy, Humor, Mystery, People and relationships
Also: 8 1/2 or Better List

Tender by Valerie Hobbs

Rating: 10 of 10 stars

Liv's mother died at her birth. At that event, Liv's father, Mark, handed her over to her mother's mother "like a bundle of laundry" and has had no contact with her since. Now a teenager, Olivia--Liv--has to move from New York City to live with her father in rural California. When she meets him for the first time, their lack of history together promises to be an immense obstacle to creating a relationship.

Liv cannot forgive her father for abandoning her and he is not a willing conversationalist. His girlfriend Samantha, however, is more approachable and proves to be Liv's first new friend, helping her feel more welcome in her new circumstances.

Mark dives for abalone off the coast of Santa Barbara so when the young man who manages Mark's lifeline breaks his arm, Liv must fill in. It is turnabout: his life is in her hands this time.

I hardly know how to describe the author's style though that is precisely why the story is such a success. I mean, it is the how of the story's writing rather than the what of it. Here are three shots aimed toward that target explanation.

Hobbs has an unerring eye for the detail that absolutely transfers to the reader the image or sound of the event she recounts. The silky fall of a scarf from a coathook, the consolidation of Chinese take-out into one of its boxes after the meal, the sound of disbelief behind a polite reply--all ring so true that I find myself remembering similar events in my life with the retrospective clarity she grants me.

She can show a how a person develops or changes believably. To do so requires the ability to create a character with enough depth to embrace change, and the ability to convey the psychological truth of that character as he or she does so.

Hobbs writes in an unhurried manner; there are no missing bits as a story knits itself together. Whether it is the reaction of women in Samantha's beauty shop to Liv's dyed black hair with orange tips like flames, or the description of Mark's boat floating above him while she tends his air hose, Hobbs effortlessly creates small moments to advance nuances of the story. Yet she is also economical, with no gratuitous description or filler. She can successfully begin a new chapter after an elapse of several weeks or several hours.

Altogether this is a thought-provoking story, sensitively written, about people who are themselves tender and well worth your time in getting to know them.

Usual Borrowers: Middle school
Genres: Adventure, People and relationships
Also: 8 1/2 or Better List

The Witch of Fourth Street and other stories by Myron Levoy

Rating: 8.5 of 10 stars

Here are eight fine short stories suitable for reading aloud by parents or teachers. All take place in the Lower East Side of New York City many years ago. This neighborhood beneath the Second Avenue El (elevated train) has become a new home for immigrants from many countries: Russia, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Italy, the Ukraine, and more. There families are involved in watch repair, selling fish, peddling smallwares and in their children who run around and through these streets.

Likewise, the characters run around and through each other's stories. Aaron Kandel, a lesser character in the title story, is the protagonist of "Aaron's Gift." He, Cathy Dunn and Joey Basuto of "Witch," figure in "Andreas and the Magic Bells." This sense of being in each other's stories both conveys and reflects the reality of neighborliness.

But this permeability of relationship and acquaintance is not the recommending feature of this collection. Rather it is the psychological truth in the behavior of the neighborhood children, both for good and not. For example, the willingness and technique used by an older boy to trick Aaron into surrendering his most treasured possession rings true...as does Cathy Dunn's bias against what she doesn't understand about an old woman, and the gift of kindness for Keplik, the burnt match buyer, by his friends.

To me, today's writing for children seem strongly colored by a number of cultural influences and cliches. Among these are dialogue patterns from situation comedies, events of continuing destruction similar to car chase movies, and a sense of playing to the audience as a substitute for believable character development.

Contrarily, Levoy offers us the truth of these human attributes: idealism, superstition, selflessness, jealousy, love, greed, embarrassment, and hope. We get to see them at work and become the wiser for his honest and clear vision of what it means to be vulnerably human.

Usual Borrowers: Fourth grade and up
Genres: Historical fiction, People and relationships, Short stories
Also: 8 1/2 or Better List

The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg

Rating: 10 of 10 stars

This is the ultimate October book for second grade students. Since at our school they have already heard Jumanji and The Garden of Abdul Gasazi in first grade, they greet this book with excitement. Because of that prior exposure, they cast a knowledgeable eye on Van Allsburg's work: they begin looking for visual quotes from his other books--the black-eyed dog, the goose, the sailboat and others. But then that focus falls away and they are, pardon me, swept up by the story.

Van Allsburg introduces the tale by pointing out that witches' brooms eventually wear out. Widow Minna Shaw finds such a discarded broom in her vegetable garden and, practical at heart, brings it into her house as a back-up for the one she already has.

And then one day, she discovers it sweeping her floor. After all, it still is a broom at heart. Seizing the opportunity for assistance, she trains it to help with her chores.

Unfortunately her helper is noticed by a neighbor and is denounced as a thing of evil. They demand it be burned as something from the devil.

At the denouement, the class cheered and applauded. One child even fell over sideways in the throes of excitement. Yes! Could a librarian ask for more: a completely overcome audience? Libraries everywhere benefit from the reputation such marvelous stories confer upon them.


Usual borrowers: Kindergarten through third grade
Genres: Picture books, Fantasy

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

At the outset I must say that I mightily dislike books or movies that have anything to do with suggesting that girls--who are already beautiful and comfortably discovering who they were meant to be--would be better, happier, prettier with help, a purchase, or instruction. That said, I really enjoyed Shannon Hale's take on the idea. Her version of that too-frequently-told tale turned my expectations upside down.

The story takes place in the stone-quarrying town of Mount Eskel in the kingdom of Danland, home of Miri, a girl of fourteen. Although her family is part of the local stone-cutting tradition, her father has forbidden her to visit the mines. Although not told why, Miri understands that it must be because she is so small for her age.

Soon, a royal messenger arrives with a surprising announcement. The king's diviners have decided Mount Eskel is the location of a girl who will be chosen to marry the prince of the realm. As a consequence, all teenage girls must attend a make-shift academy to be trained for the possibility of life as royalty.

At the academy, their tutor, Olana, is cruel and inflexible, handing out punishments for the smallest missteps. Miri struggles with her teacher, with bitter competition among the girls, and with the expectation that to marry a prince is the answer to all dreams. She discovers a talent and a new understanding of who she wishes to be.

At last, when danger to the academy students is added to this mix, surprising events push Miri into surprising action. Hale's fine book, with its fresh view of the themes and unusual turns of plot, has well earned being named one of the Newbery Honor books for 2006.


Usual borrowers: Third grade and up
Genres: Adventure, Award winners, Fantasy People and relationships
Also: 8 1/2 or Better List

Suggested by McKenna Williams in October 2008

Something Permanent by Cynthia Rylant

Rating: 10 of 10 stars

Cynthia Rylant uses photographs taken by Walker Evans in the 1930s as a basis for writing poetry. Published in 1994, this work provides me with a mainstay for helping older elementary students understand the power of the imagined story behind an image, and gives them the courage to try it for themselves.

Originally sent out to record the effects of The Great Depression, Walker Evans has often been called the foremost documentary photographer of the twentieth century. His work is most widely recognized in images of the terrible social conditions which contrasted sharply with the beauty and dignity of his subjects.

Within those images, Rylant discovers words of mystery, grace, tenacity, humor and tenderness which speak of the human condition across the years. Her work is a miracle of simplicity as well as depth and reflects the humility of what it takes to live through unusually demanding times. This book deserves a place in any student library.

Usual borrowers: Middle school
Genres: Poetry, photography
Also: 8 and 1/2 or Better List

Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin

Rating: 7 of 10 stars

Artemis Fowl is the main character in a series of six novels which bear his name. They have been a durable favorite of fourth through seventh grade students who love adventure, mystery and a bit of James Bondian espionage. After this success, Colfer now offers a graphic version of his first book, Artemis Fowl.

In the original novel as in this graphic version, Artemis is firmly established as an anti-hero--he steals gold from the fairy folk in hope of restoring the former stature of his family. Unfortunately, Captain Holly Short, one of the folk, arrives expecting to foil Fowl's plan. She is a member of LEPRecon, Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance, and is packing plenty of fairy technology to make good on her intentions.

Speaking generally of the entire text series, there is plenty of action, humor and plot twists to keep kids reading. Each story provides plenty of interesting tools and technology as well as quick thinking when it counts, but also has the pratfalls and word play of J.K. Rowling's work. And as the series progresses, our anti-hero becomes a bit more likable, though he still sees himself as a criminal mastermind.

Though a graphic novel can't hold each twist and turn of the original, I was pleased to see that this one is faithful to the scope of the novel. I'm betting that, if manga fans happen on this one, they'll give the original text series a try.

Usual borrowers: Fourth grade and up
Genres: Adventure, fantasy, humor, science fiction