House of Robots: Robots Go Wild - By J. Patterson & C. Grabenstein

This latest installment in the Patterson/Grabenstein series is as hilarious and touching as the others. If you aren't familiar with the series, it's all about fifth-grader Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez, whose mom is a famous professor of robotics, and whose dad is a well-known graphic novelist. Sammy's little sister, Maddie, has a life-threatening immunodeficiency disorder, and can't safely leave her bedroom. Thanks to their mom, Sammy is soon bringing a new "brother" to school with him - his Bro-Bot, E!

Follow Sammy and E's adventures through school and the community in this series of action-filled books. Told with a lot of heart, they are perfect for fans of robotics, but are really good stories for every reader to enjoy. There are villains in each book, a goofy sidekick (Sammy's second-best friend forever), and enough drama to hold anyone's interest.

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.

The Exact Location of Home - by Kate Messner

Geocaching is pretty popular these days, and this book will tell you all about this fun activity.  Along the way, it will take you on the emotional journey of a young teen boy and his friends, leaving you with an aching heart, a thirst for exploring your neighborhood, and a new perspective on poverty and homelessness.

Kirby Zigonski is not your typical teenage boy.  First, his dad is missing, his mom won't tell him why, and they are about to get evicted from their apartment.  Second, Kirby is a whiz with electricity, and can repair just about anything.  This time, though, Kirby may have found a problem that he can't figure out how to fix.  His two best friends (both girls) try to help, but Kirby pushes them away, drawing closer to a mysterious stranger that he *hopes* is his missing father.

Kate Messner never disappoints.  Really.

A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans - by Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder

I love stories told from an animal's point of view, and the viewpoint of this thousands-of-years-old dragon is a great example of the genre.  Miss Drake, as we know her, recently lost her "pet" human, but as the story begins, a new pet is just arriving.  Winnie is a charming and precocious young teen, and her great aunt seems to have told her everything she needed to know about caring for the family dragon.  Little did Winnie know, however, that the dragon had plans of its own!

This captivating story imagines life in modern San Francisco, but with hidden magical life all around.  Take Miss Drake, for instance.  She may be a fierce, full-grown red and scaly dragon, but she can transform into a fashionable French fashionista in the blink of an oversize eye.  There is a problem in every story, of course, and in this case it takes Winnie and Miss Drake a little while to realize that a seemingly wise act has resulted in setting wild magic loose on the city, possibly breaking ages-old magical rules, and threatening the destruction of land and life.  Don't worry; Our heroines are up to the task of taking the magic into their own hands, but the process promises quite a magical adventure.

This is a very interesting and well-written book, full of magic and girl power.

Woof - by Spencer Quinn

This deep-south mystery has all the elements of a great, suspenseful novel:  A brave kid main character, an unknown but evil bad guy, nasty people, helpful hints, a unique and clearly-described setting, and dog biscuits.  Well, here's the thing:  The whole story is told by a dog!

Yep, Bowser the mutt is not only the narrator of our story, but one of its heroes.  Along with his new girl (owner) Birdie, they need to solve a robbery and save the swamps near their home.  By the way, this takes place in the gator-infested swampland of rural Louisiana.  As long as Bowser gets his treats and a chance to pee on the tree in front of their house, it's all good.

Not only is it creative and interesting to have the dog tell the humans' tale in his own words, but it works far better than you would expect.  It's hilarious, too, as the author gives us a true dog's-eye-view, from sniffing butts to getting totally distracted by squirrels.  Bowser's love for Birdie shows through too, and this is a winner for dog-lovers and mystery fans alike.

Firstborn - by Tor Seidler

This is the fictional story of a pack of wolves in Yellowstone National Park, featuring a huge pack leader named Blue Boy.  It is realistic and fascinating, but it is also a ripping good tale that will have you turning pages with enthusiasm.  Surprisingly, the whole book is narrated by a bird!  Maggie the Magpie (she doesn't like the name either) is our fearless narrator, and is as much a part of the story as any other character, though it's essentially a book about wolves.  This interesting choice of narrator works exceptionally well.

This book looks and reads a little like a wilderness book by the author's friend, Elizabeth Craighead George, author of Julie of the Wolves, and one of my favorites.  That is because it was on her urging that Mr. Seidler began studying and writing about wolves.

This is a carefully and intelligently-written story, and will appeal to animal-lovers, but also anyone who loves a good story, well-told.  There's even a little wolf romance, for those who like that kind of thing.  If you want to learn more about wolves, this is definitely the book for you.

Seriously, Norman - by Chris Raschka

International spies, bomber salesmen, weird parents, odd coffee-loving tutors, lots of new words, and four friends with a shared love of old movies and saving the day.  This is a zany but brainy, quirky but just-right story about young Norman and his worries about his father, whose job as a bombastic bomber salesman may be endangering them all.  Can his best bud Leonard and the twin girls from next door form a quadrumvirate (noun: a group of four powerful or notable people) without getting sidetracked by Norman's muddle-headed mother or taken out by two furry-hatted European spies?  Probably, but not definitely.

This is kind of a weird story, but I loved it.  Norman didn't do so well on his standardized test, so his parents hired a tutor, one Mr. Balthazar Birdsong, who seems more intersted in having Norman read the dictionary and watch clouds than in preparing him for the test.  In the end, though, Mr. B's lessons turn out to have been just what Norman needed to find his courage and save the day.

This book will get you curious about New York City, kites, dictionaries (my son asked for a dictionary of his own after we listened to this audiobook), and of course, hot chocolate.  It's well worth the read, even if the cover has you scratching your head (as it does me).  It's a well-voiced audiobook, too.

Honey - by Sarah Weeks

This is a very fun and sweet book, that has absolutely nothing to do with honey.  However, it does involve a dog, a beauty salon, tuna noodle casserole, an annoying 6-year-old girl, a wonderful teacher, a grumpy teacher, and some dandelions. Oh, and a dead mom.  Yeah, there's that.  Don't worry, though. It's a happy story, but some characters have to deal with a few issues along the way. You know, kind of like life itself.

Really, this is the story of young teen Melody, and her quest to find something she didn't even know she had lost.  Through the story, we meet her friends and family, a delightful stylist named Bee Bee, and her grandpa.  Lots of bad cooks, which strangely becomes a plot line. It's a swiftly-moving tale of growing up, learning secrets that your dad never knew when to tell you, and finding delight where you least expect it.

The strangest thing: This book got me interested in nail polish.  Really.  Nail polish.  Read it and you'll understand.

Serafina and the Black Cloak - by Robert Beatty

Serafina is Chief Rat Catcher at the historic Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, home to one of the richest men in America.  The year is 1899, and strange happenings are afoot at the mansion. Not just strange - terrible!  Children are disappearing, one each night.  A mysterious and dangerous strangers is stalking the halls of the mansion in the dead of night, and the only thing that can stop him is... a scrawny, dirty 12-year-old girl?

This is an excellent piece of historical fiction, set in the author's own backyard and introducing the reader to a fascinating piece of American real estate and point in time.  This book combines true-to-life descriptions of the setting with local legends, and tosses a scary fantasy/mystery over the top to keep us on the edges of our seats.  It works.

Thank you to my young friend Lilia for introducing me to this book, and loaning me your copy.  This is a real girl-power story, and you will be amazed by Serafina's courage, as well as her secrets, which even she doesn't know about at first.  It's a bit scary at times, but scrape up a bit of courage yourself, and check it out.

Shark Wars - by E.J. Altbacker

I had seen these books on the shelves, but had resisted picking up the shiny-covered series because it looked kind of ridiculous. Now that I've read the first book, though, I am hooked!

This is the story of the world's oceans - from under the water!  It turns out that shark rule the seas, through groups known as "shivers".  Each shiver has a leader, who is supported by a "line," the next five strongest sharks in the shiver.  You won't be surprised to learn that the sharks in the story behave like you would expect: Sneaky and violent.  Not all of them, though...

Meet Gray, a reef shark who, with his best friend dogfish, leaves his shiver to go off and explore the big blue.  Before long, they are swept up in one new shiver, then another, and their world is turned on its head.  These peace-loving but sharp-toothed fish want nothing more than a good meal and an adventure, but they find themselves in the middle of a battle for control of all the world's oceans.  As you might have expected, Gray turns out to be a pretty important shark.

This is not only a great adventure story, but it is a strong and touching tale of friendship and loyalty.  I loved looking at the world from a shark's point-of-view, and the characters, good and bad, were portrayed so clearly that I felt like swimming along at their side.  This is one excellent story for sailors and landlubbers alike.

The White Giraffe - by Lauren St. John

This story takes us to South Africa along with Martine, poor thing. You see, Martine is a young teen from England whose parents died in a fire that she managed to escape from.  Before long, she was trundled away to her grandmother's home in South Africa, on the grounds of a wild animal reserve.  This was not the outcome that anyone wanted, and when Martine arrived, she could tell right away that her grandmother wanted nothing to do with her. Welcome to Africa.

However, there is quite a twist to this story.  Martine isn't your ordinary girl, and has a rare gift that ends up making all the difference.  As she navigates life in her new home, she makes a number of discoveries about the reserve, her family, the animals, and herself.

Why "The White Giraffe?"  There is a legend on the reserve that an exceedingly rare white giraffe lives nearby, sacred to the native people and hunted by greedy poachers.  This mysterious creature will prove central to Martine's sotry in ways nobody had expected.

This is a touching but exciting story about a girl's quest to survive in a world that is full of twists and turns, and is a testament to the beauty of South Africa and to the importance of family and friends.  It is the first in a series of promising novels.

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.

Absolutely Almost - by Lisa Graff

Sad, sad, sad.  That's what my Guys Read book club decided kept us all from loving this book, it was just kind of sad.

Don't get me wrong, no book is completely sad, and there were definitely some interesting and enjoyable parts of the book.  It's all about this kid in New York City, Albie, who although he tries his hardest, just can't seem to please his teacher, his parents, his best friend's family, or anyone else.  Albie is kind of stumbling through life when he gets a new nanny, Calista.  This girl is dynamic: An art student who is full of creativity and encouragement, just what Albie needs. Through Calista, Albie has all sorts of great times, realizations, and happiness... but then things go wrong, as they often seem to in Albie's life.  See?  Sad.

This is the story of Albie not exactly improving his situation, but finding inner strength and coming to terms with who he is and what he is capable of, even if it's not quite as much as anyone had hoped.  It was a well-written book, with short chapters, interesting characters, and some fun pictures, but in the end it was a little too much of a downer for my group of 3rd-5th grade boy readers.  A bright note:  One of our favorite characters was the endlessly-bullied, stuttering Betsy, who through her gummy bears and fortitude, proves to be the strongest and the best character in the book.

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.

Sunny Side Up - by Jennifer & Matthew Holm

What young girl wouldn't love to spend a summer in sunny Florida?  Sunny Lewin was pretty excited about the opportunity, until she realized that her grandpa's retirement community was not what she expected... just a bunch of geezers sitting around all day doing boring, boring, and more boring.

Before long, though, Sunny realizes that there may be a little more to these old folks than she first thought.  Once she meets another kid, they begin having adventures, making new friends, and turning the summer into something special after all.

This is a fun, thoughtful graphic novel about one girl's everyday adventures over the course of a surprising summer.  It will appeal to readers of Rain Telgemeier, for sure.  

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.

Pieces & Players - by Blue Balliett

This is Blue Balliett's fifth book about the same characters solving art mysteries that the police can't seem to solve.  Starting with Chasing Vermeer, Ms. Balliett has introduced each of these five characters, sometimes in their own books, and now she pulls them all together for their biggest mystery yet.

It's a very good story, and if you like complex mysteries about stolen artwork, you'll love this book.  It may not appeal as much unless you've read her earlier works, though, and if you make it through Chasing Vermeer, The Wright Three, The Calder Game, The Danger Box, and Hold Fast, then you will definitely like this story.  I happen to love her work, and have read everything she's ever written.  The characters are incredible, the mystery tough to crack, and the description of Chicago's landmarks and artwork is just perfect. 

It takes a dedicated reader to tackle Ms. Balliett's series of art mysteries, but those who do will be richly rewarded with this latest installment. Are you game?

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!