Posted - by J. D. Anderson

It's crazy how phone-obsessed kids are today, especially at Branton Middle School, where Frost and his friends just started 6th grade. When cell phones are banned, the kids come up with a new way to communicate: Sticky Notes! Of course, this could go very well, or very wrong. When you factor in preteen emotions, you can bet things will get crazy.

More than just a creative story about Post-it Notes, this is a story about friendship, courage, making hard choices, and the power of words. It is about finding "your tribe," the people who you click with, and who will support you through the hard times. And it's about what happens when a new person wants to join your group of friends, and not everyone is in favor. Lastly and most importantly, it's about accepting those who are different, and the important of all types of diversity.

I highly recommend this story.

A Whole Nother Story - by Dr. Cuthbert Soup

Strange, mysterious bad guys.  International super spies.  Sock puppets. Epic wads of bubble gum.  Dirt clods. Time machines.  A hairless dog that can sense danger, and finds many opportunities to use this skill.  A very odd narrator.  Such an odd list, but they can all be found within this strange and wonderful book.

Dr. Ethan Cheeseman and his children are truly exceptional, but they've got some problems.  For one, they are on the run, changing identities and homes more often than they can count, on the run from a wide variety of evildoers.  They are also missing their mother, but the details of that particular problem don't become clear until later in the story.  As the Cheesemans make their way across the country in search of the answer to their biggest problem (which can not be disclosed here), they meet an interesting cast of characters, all of which help to make this odd story a bit more zany.  Through it all, the cheeky and slightly ridiculous narrator, "Dr. Cuthbert Soup," gives all sorts of commentary to the reader.

This really is a silly book, but it is a lot of fun to read, and hard to put down.  The narrator thing is a bit like the books of Pseudonymous Bosch or Lemony Snicket, and makes the story even more interesting.  The second book, Another Whole Nother Story, is just as good if not better.

Captain Nobody - by Dean Pitchford

Who is Captain Nobody?  It all starts during a football game, THE BIG GAME, where fourth-grader Newt Newman's older brother Chris, the star quarterback of the high school team, is out to make history.  He does, but not quite in the way he intended.

This story follows Newt and his two best friends, tall-girl J.J. and short but drum-crazy Cecil, as they navigate being the least-popular kids in fourth grade, but also as they struggle to find a way to come to terms with a tragedy that strikes Newt's family.  I really can't tell you what happens, but trust me that it is BIG.

Before you know it, Newt is dressing up in his brother's old clothes and calling himself Captain Nobody.  Of course, that isn't enough to make anyone a super hero.  Really.  Or, is it?  And what kind of superhero would "Captain Nobody" be, anyway?  That, dear reader, is the key to the whole story!

This is such an amazing, heartfelt, readable story that my 6-year-old and I, who just finished listening to it on CD in the car, have been lingering in the driveway because we just don't want to turn it off!  Equal parts funny and touching, this is a really fantastic book.  It is not part of a series, but stands alone as a testament to the power of courage and friends to make everything better.

The Terrible Two - by Jory John and Mac Barnett

It's a perfect prank.  The principal's car is halfway up the school stairs, parked sideways and totally stuck.  The question is, who did it?  Miles Murphy, the new kid in town on his first day at his new school, wishes it had been him.  In his old school, everyone knew that he was the #1 Prankster, but here he is forced to admit, there just might be some competition.

As the hilariously fierce yet bumbling principal Mr. Barkin locks on to Miles as a "trouble maker," the story begins a wild ride of pranks, secret identities, curious cows, gullible bullies, non-existent cool kids, and ultimately, a true friendship.  Who is the true prankster, and will Miles be able to compete with his or her brilliance and creativity?  And what is with this "School Helper" kid Niles, who follows and annoys Miles from day one?  I'm not telling you - just read the book, silly!

This is an excellent story, well-paced and full of strangely likable but annoying characters.  The pictures lead it toward the graphic novel category, but it stops short of being as heavily illustrated as a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book.  The co-authors, both hilarious authors on their own, are a truly dynamic duo in this project, which has already spawned a sequel (The Terrible Two get Worse).

I highly recommend this book, as well as its companion website: www.terribletwo.com.

Paper Towns - by John Green

This is an amazing story, and it definitely earns its "Teen/Young-Adult" category label, but not for the same reason as many books in the genre.  This is the story of Quentin, a high-school senior who finally gets the chance to hang out with his dream girl, his next-door neighbor, the crazily popular, wild, and unattainable Margo, for one wild night.  From those after-dark adventures, the book follows a sort of mystery path as Quentin searches for what he can't quite find, but which he seems to have been chosen to search for.  I don't want to give anything away here, so will stop there.

It is a story of running away and other ridiculous teenage shenanigans, and is not an appropriate guide for the development of children's choices or character.  There are scenes of teen partying and allusions to more "adult" topics, but nothing too explicit here.  For any teen looking for a riveting story, this is a fantastic read, which is to be expected from this author.

Lawless - by Jeffrey Salane

Kids have different opinions about school.  I know this, because I'm both a parent and a teacher, and have seen all sorts.  None of the kids I know have ever been interviewed and enrolled in a super-secret hidden school for the children of master criminals, though.  Not that I know of, at least.

In this amazing, action-packed, suspenseful thrill ride of a book, young M. Freeman (a sweet, innocent girl who seems to have quite a talent for crime), ends up at the Lawless School, though she has no idea where it is.  It's a nice school, except for all the people trying to kill her, and the fact that her plane crashed inside a mountain the first day of class, and, yeah.  Let's just say that nothing is ordinary at this school.

When I finished this, I was very disappointed that I didn't have the sequel in my hands, as I was so hooked I couldn't wait a day to get to the library.  The sequel leaves you hanging just as much, which may just be a ploy to get you to buy more books, but is also pretty exciting as a reader.  This book is so much more than you expect, as it digs deep into M's life and shows her character changing nearly page to page.  It's pretty sophisticated, like a true spy novel, but should be manageable for most middle-grade readers.  I HIGHLY recommend the series to all readers, especially those who love spy stories, mysteries, and suspense.

Wilder Boys - by Brandon Wallace

Two boys and a dog, escaping into the wilderness on a special quest, running toward an unknown dream, and away from a scary man.  This is an excellent story of hope and survival, of using wits to overcome a terrible situation, and of friendship and family.

Jake and Taylor Wilder had been taking care of themselves for a long time.  Their mom was sick, their dad missing somewhere in the mountains since he left home years ago, and their mom's abusive boyfriend was getting even worse.  With pages from their dad's old notebooks, a confusing clue from an old letter, and whatever they could shove in their backpacks, the boys suddenly found themselves on a cross-country adventure that makes for an amazing story.

This book is fast-paced, full of interesting characters, and deadly serious at the same time that it is full of hope and adventure.  I highly recommend it!

Space Case - by Stuart Gibbs

Stuart Gibbs is an amazing writer, and this may be his best book yet!  

Imagine yourself on the moon, but not as an astronaut:  You are a member of the first group of moon colonists, along with your mom, dad, and six-year-old sister.  This is where we find Dash, the 12-year-old protagonist, and he's not too happy about it.  It turns out that the government's advertisements for the "resort-like" Moon Base Alpha were way overblown, and it's nowhere near as nice or exciting as he'd expected. 

Things get MUCH more exciting, though, when Dash witnesses a murder!  Now it is up to him and a couple of unexpected friends to solve the crime before things get worse.  As the government begins to cover it up, Dash is running out of time, and with a murderer on the loose in    their small community on the surface of the moon, things will definitely get worse before they get better. 

This is a compelling mystery, a realistic sci-fi look at our future in space, and a very interesting story about a brave young man who's trying to do the right thing.  Read it!

All the Answers - by Kate Messner

What if your pencil were magical?  You know, you ask it questions, and it tells you all the right answers.  Would it change your life?  Would you never fail a test again?  Would there be any problems?

When 6th-grader Ava Anderson who is a bundle of nerves, and her best friend Sophie find the mysterious blue pencil, it seems that all of their problems are solved.  As they use their magical tool to navigate the ups and downs of middle school life, they soon find out that having all the answers isn't always as great as it seems.  In fact, sometimes you learn things you never wanted to know.

This is a charming story about two girls trying to get the most out of life, with a little help from an unexpected source.  It paints a realistic and intriguing picture of family life, both good and bad. There are ups and downs, ins and outs, and some real twists and turns.  In the end, the pencil is not quite what they expected.

Ava and Sophie may not solve all of their problems, but they learn that there are more important things in life.  There are many lessons learned, and some real obstacles overcome.  This is a feel-good book, a great read for anyone who enjoys a little bit of mystical mystery tossed into a realistic coming-of-age story.  The author of Capture the Flag seems to have written another winner!

Heart of a Samurai - by Margi Preus

You will not believe that this is the author's first book! It's simply an amazing adventure story of the high seas in the 1800's, from Japan to New England and back again.  We meet Manjiro, a teenage Japanese fisherman who is stranded by a shipwreck and eventually picked up by an American whaling ship.  That begins Manjiro's odyssey, which includes adoption, learning to live in a small American town, dealing with all sorts of prejudice and anger, and growing into a man with a real mixed and conflicted cultural identity.  Will this poor stranded fisherman ever achieve his dream of becoming a samurai?

This is an amazing story, an epic tale of adventure, courage, and the power of the human spirit to overcome all odds.  I recommend this to everyone!  Especially history buffs, those who have an interest in Japan, fishing and whaling, life in the 1800's, classic sea adventures, and amazing writing.

The League of Seven - by Alan Gatz

Bringing together a band of teenage oddballs in a futuristic/old-fashioned America, this steampunk story will capture your imagination and leave you cheering!  The heroes are flawed but worth cheering for, the villains both oddly familiar and ridiculously unimaginable.

Like all steampunk stories, this one relies on lots of futuristic 18th-century technology, such as brass laser guns, airships, submarines, and robot babysitters.  When Archie finds out that his parents have been brainwashed by giant insects, he must set out across the country to Old Florida to rescue them.  Falling in with two mysterious but distinctly talented new friends, it is up to the three to stop not only a crazed murderous inventor (Thomas Edison), but the largest monster in history, who lies trapped under the swamps.

This story has plenty of mystery, lots of action and suspense, and enough dramatic twists to keep any reader turning pages.  It is highly imaginative and a bit inspiring.  You may find yourself, like I did, wishing you could climb aboard their airship for just one short adventure.

We Were Liars - by E. Lockhart

This is not a book to be taken lightly.  It is a book for teens, and I would say age 12 would be a good time to read it.  That said, it was an amazing and surprising story that I could not put down.

It's all about four kids who grow up together during summer's at their families private island off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.  Rich kids, that's right.  Privileged trust-fund children of privileged trust fund mothers, and everybody is just about perfect.  They are, after all, the Sinclair family.

The only thing is, everything is not quite as perfect as it seems. The title is perfect, and hits you on different levels by the end of the book.  As you read, you begin to realize that characters are twisted in unexpected ways, and that they are all twisted together as well.  The story is told from a seventeen-year-old girl, Cadence, about her fifteen-year-old self one summer on the island, and what happened that summer remains a mystery to us, and to Cadence as well, until the very end of the book.  It is suspenseful, full of interesting bends, and a very rewarding read.

The "teen" rating reflects some thematic elements that elementary-age children just don't need to think about.  Grab a copy of this for the teen in your life, and let them know it will be one knockout of a story.

The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story - by R. J. Palacio

Redemption.  It's all about making things right, and for Julian, the antihero of the unforgettable and life-changing book Wonder, it's the last thing you'd expect.  In this short sequel, author R.J. Palacio retells the story from Julian Alban's of view, and it is NOT what you'd expect.

I can't say too much about the story without spoiling both this plot and that of the original book, Wonder.   All I can really say is that there ARE at least two sides to every story, and it is worthwhile listening to all of them before making judgments about people.  This goes for storybook characters and real people as well.  Julian may have been the ultimate bully and bad guy, but when you dig a bit deeper, you may be surprised by what you uncover.

This book is a MUST for anyone who has read Wonder, but don't you dare read this first.  If you haven't read Wonder, I can only wonder... what are you waiting for??  Any age, gender, political affiliation, or other classification doesn't matter; this book is for you.

Boundless - by Kenneth Oppel

As tracks are laid for the new Trans-Canadian railroad, young Will steps into the adventure of a lifetime.  How could he have predicted the changes that would come after that one fateful day, the day he first met the curious tightrope walking girl, the powerful rail baron, the yeti, the ringmaster, and the man whose treachery would threaten everything.  It seemed like just another ordinary day, but that's how things go.

Will's adventure centers around the train tracks stretching across Canada in the 1800's.  His father works for the railroad, and is known to be strong and fearless, but Will just likes to draw.  Before long, both of their futures will be tied to that of the largest train to ever roll on two tracks: The Boundless.  To survive, Will is going to need every bit of luck he can get, his improving drawing skills, and plenty of courage, but also the help of a whole new collection of unexpected friends.  As the book builds to its breathtaking climax, Will's good deeds of the past are all repaid, reminding the reader that the choices we make really do have consequences far beyond the current moment.

This is one of my favorite books of the year, and an excellent adventure story for boys and girls alike.  It is the best book Mr. Oppel has written (and he's written some real winners), and a book I'll recommend to everyone.

Legend - by Marie Lu

June is rich, her brother is a powerful and important soldier in the Republic's army, and her skills are remarkable.  Day is dirt-poor, on the run from the law, apparently homeless, but his skills equal June's. What brings these two teenage characters together is the stuff of legends, and the plot of this book, so I won't give it away.  I can tell you that the story takes place in an imagined future in the American west, that there is a good assortment of likable and believable characters, and that the action, including some rough fight scenes, is fantastic.

This is probably my favorite of this type of books: The teen dystopian/futuristic America drama/adventure series with a strong but flawed heroine/hero.  With Marie Lu's Legend, you've got the real deal.  June and Day are both fascinating characters, and to see what happens when their worlds spin together makes for an unforgettable story.

There are many middle grade/teen series out there, but this one has just as much action and suspense as the others, but none of the graphic love scenes.  It's a winner, trust me.  Keep your eye on Marie Lu!

Divergent - by Veronica Roth

Don't compare this to The Hunger Games, first of all. This genre is bursting with good futuristic altered-American-reality books, and this one is fantastic.  Yes, it is a movie, but of course the book should be read first!

Divergent focuses on Tris, a girl who must choose, as everyone her age must, which of the four "factions" in their society they would like to join. It is most common to stay in your family's own faction, but switching is not unheard of. When Tris finds out during her screening test that she actually has the skill or inclination for three different factions, she learns that she is actually "divergent," a label which could get her killed!  She decides to leaver her straight-laced Abnegation faction for the thrill-seeking Dauntless, and through many hard times, she learns that she is, though small, a natural fighter.

Though Tris is enjoying her new freedom and faction, she soon learns that there is a plot afoot that could destroy everything, and it is up to her and a few trusted friends to save the day.  As family, friend, and faction are shaken, shocked, and turned against one another, Tris realizes that nothing is as it seems after all.  The adventures of Tris are incredible, exhilarating, and heart-wrenching, and you will not be able to put this book (or its two sequels) down!

This is really a TEEN book, because of the violence, love scenes, and more mature content.  That said, the fifth graders who have read it seem to have no problem with those parts...  Perhaps we parents and teachers worry too much?  Or perhaps children today have been exposed to more than is good for their young minds and are not surprised by things that should shock them.  I can't say, but I would recommend young (elementary-age) kiddos to get their parents' approval before reading this one.

The Lost Kingdom - by Matthew Kirby

Imagine travelling back to the mid-1700 American colonies, and preparing for the adventure of a lifetime into the uncharted western wilderness.  Now imagine that your journey is organized by Ben Franklin, with the goal of connecting with a long-lost colony to aid in the fight against the French. Let's make this even cooler: You're travelling by air using ridiculously cutting-edge technology, in the first airship in history.

This exciting story combines a real period of history and actual people from that time with a fictional (in some ways fantastical) plot.  Enjoy the story, connect it to some history and names that you've heard of (including George Washington), but don't believe a word of it.  Here's your introduction to a new genre: Alternate History.

The main character is teenage Billy Bartram, who tells the tale first-person.  Billy accompanies his famous botanist father on the expedition as his sketch artist, and through Billy's eyes we experience the excitement and terror of their journey, the shock of his father's prejudice against the natives, the suspense of an unidentified spy, and the confusion that comes when a child first realizes that not all adults are trustworthy or honorable.

What an amazing book!  The characters and setting are interesting and well-scripted, and the plot is fast-paced, twisting, and captivating. Matthew Kirby has come back with another winner.

The False Prince - by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Who is Sage, but a ragged orphan who must steal to get enough to eat?  In this fictional olden kingdom, he seems to be less than nothing. However, when the rich nobleman Conner selects him, along with a handful of boys, to take part in an epic act of deceit, it turns out that there may be more to Sage than meets the eye.

Twisting and turning, this book leaves the reader guessing at the characters' intentions and loyalties as the story builds until the very end. There is an earth-shattering revelation mid-way through the book, but that doesn't stop the suspense at all.  This is an AMAZING book.

Jennifer Nielsen knows how to pack a punch, and this first-in-a-trilogy (all three are now in print) novel will appeal to readers of all ages, but especially middle-grade boys and girls who crave adventure and suspense, who don't mind a bit of fighting and violence, and who love a tightly-wound plot and intriguing characters.

I wouldn't know about this book at all were it not for my good friend Mr. Potter.  Thanks again, dude.

Ghost Hawk - by Susan Cooper

Little Hawk is a Native, living in what will later become Massachusetts as the first wave of English settlers arrive.  This story follows him as he grows from a boy to a man, living three months on his own in the wilderness in search of his manitou (spirit).  Upon his return to his village, Little Hawk finds something that changes the course of his life, and our story.  There are too many surprises in this book for me to say much more, for fear of telling too much.  It is a bit of a mystery, and a delightful supernatural romp through the world of early Native Americans.

Half of the book focuses on a totally different character, an English settler named Tom.  Between Tom's story and that of Little Hawk, we get a good feeling for the challenges, restrictions, but also the pleasures of life during the early 1600's in the American northeast.  Susan Cooper has drifted away from her typical magical mythology writing (The Dark is Rising and The Boggart), to craft a believable, but somewhat ghostly, historical adventure novel.

This is a perfect book for future historians, fans of early American stories, believers in the supernatural, or for any young (or old) person who is willing to look at history from multiple perspectives.

Breadcrumbs - by Ann Ursu

Whoa.  This is not your average middle grade fantasy novel, but it is definitely worth reading.

11-year-old Hazel is a pretty normal fifth-grader: Frustrated with her parents, having friendship trouble, and dreading the bus ride to school. That said, she's pretty extraordinary as well, though it takes the other characters and the reader some time to realize it.  Could it be her obsession with fantasy stories, from Harry Potter to The Chronicles of Narnia? Maybe the fact that her lone friend is her next-door neighbor, who happens to be a boy?  Or could it possibly be that when one day her best friend Jack suddenly has an abrupt personality shift and no only stops talking to her, but goes and disappears mysteriously, she is the only one with the courage to go after him?  Yeah, let's go with that one.

The incredible thing about this book is the pacing and the gradual shift from realistic fiction to fantasy.  We begin in the suburban school days of a Midwestern winter, but we end up in a fantastical forest, where anything is possible.  Throughout, it is all Hazel can do, and the reader can hardly believe she pulls it off, to keep her head and follow her heart.

Not your average book at all, and so much the better for that.