Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Esperanza was born into a privileged life, as the only child of a wealthy Mexican family. She has never had to work a day in her life and has always had the finest clothing, toys, and parties. She is eagerly awaiting the end of the grape harvest which will mark her thirteenth birthday. However, when her father is killed by bandits, her world is turned upside down. During the 1930s it was traditional that women did not own land and so Papa’s will only leaves Mama and Esperanza a place to live and an income from the grapes. His brothers are now own the land and powerful Tío Luis wants more. He requests Mama’s hand in marriage and when she declines, all they have goes up in flames, injuring Abuelita. Again Tío Luis proposes marriage and swears that their beloved servants will die if Mama refuses.
What Tío Luis does not expect is for Mama and Esperanza to steal away in the dark of night and board a train for California. Esperanza soon finds herself living a life completely different from any she has known. Mama must work in the fields and Esperanza has to pull her weight cooking, washing, sweeping, and providing child care in the migrant field camp where they live. When Mama develops Valley Fever, Esperanza finds herself the sole provider to support her family. Can Esperanza rise to face the challenge?

Beowulf: A Hero's Tale Retold by James Rumford

An illustrated retelling of the ancient epic hero poem, this is the story of Beowulf. Grendel, an ogre, had been terrorizing the Danish kingdom for 12 years and no one, not even King Hrothgar, had been able to stop him. Long ago a young child named Beowulf, a Geat, had sworn an oath to help the king. He was bold, strong-willed, and fire-hearted and it was rumored he had the strength of 30 men. Beowulf and his men arrived in Denmark and the people believed them to be sent from Heaven. That night when Grendel came for his nightly meal, Beowulf was ready. He fought the ogre and cut off his arm. The kingdom rejoiced but Grendel’s mother was more evil than Grendel and hungered for revenge. Beowulf follows her into the depths of the swamp. Will he be able to defeat her and save the Hrothgar’s kingdom? If he does survive, will Beowulf be the greatest hero to ever live?

"Stephenie Meyer: The Next J.K. Rowling?"

For those of us that can't wait until August 2nd for the next dose of vampire romance Meyer style, take a look at this article from Time Magazine. (This image is part of the article.)

Stephenie's next novel, The Host, is due out May 6th and will be available at NCPL. While its not vampire romance, it might be science-fiction for those of us who don't read sci-fi.

Don't forget to check out Stephenie Meyer's website for all the details on Breaking Dawn, The Host, and the Twilight movie.

Carrie's Review: Missing in Tokyo by Graham Marks

Upon receiving a life-altering phone call which brings news of his missing sister, Adam Grey embarks on a terrifying journey on the other side of the world in order to do whatever it takes to find her. His older sister and been traveling across Asia with her best friend and her friend's shady boyfriend. However when Alice calls from Tokyo, Japan with the terrifying news that her friend has been kidnapped, Adam weighs his options and hops a plane to Japan. Once he gets there he must take on the busy, hectic, and largely populated city in order to discover the mystery of what has happened to his sister. This book is fairly slow in the beginning and doesn't start to pick up until quite a ways into Adam's Tokyo adventure. It does give the readers an interesting look into Japanese culture but the climax didn't live up to expectations.
Rating: 2Q 3P

Jessica's Review: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Metamorphosis written by Franz Kafka is an entertaining, but surreal book. The imagination couples with magical realism combines to create an image both startling and intriguing, almost horrifically so. The story centers around Gregor and his family. Gregor has woken up into what some would call a nightmare but unfortunately for him is reality. He and his family suffer through his trauma in which time we learn how strong or weak his relationships with each member of the family are and how the family views Gregor. Overall the book was decent and I would only suggest it to those interested in broadening their horizons of literature which may or may not be likeable in the end but at the very least something has been learned.
Rating: 3Q, 2P

Mary's Review: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

A warning: This is not a happy book. Nor is it a particularly child-friendly book; quite simply put, it is the slow descent of a young girl's self loathing and her eventual descent into madness. Pecola Breedlove has always hated her looks and her dark skin, wanting nothing more than a pair of beautiful blue eyes like child star darling Shirley Temple. To say more would be impossible without spoiling something, interwoven as it is like poetry. The story is told not from Pecola's point of view but by those around her; alternately in first person by a girl who befriended her, and in third person concerning Pecola's mother and father, as well as an old 'miracle worker' whom Pecola's wishes for her eyes from and a young boy whom she meets. In this way the reader views Pecola from all sides but never really "knows" her. This works to and against the book's advantage. It is less sympathy and more a true understanding that the reader achieves, but it nonetheless keeps them at a distance from the child. The ending is confusing; something, it is clear, has happened to Pecola, but the details are rather sketchy as to what exactly has occurred. These arguments don't detract from the poetic nature of the writing and puzzle-like story-telling that blessedly forces the reader to think rather than forcing things down their throat. For a first novel particularly, it is a spectacular effort.
Final Verdict: 4Q, 2P

Watch This!

If you are looking for a good read, check out this book trailer for Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles.

You might also try How to Ruin My Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles or Blue is For Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Sold by Patricia McCormick

“My name is Lakshmi.
I am from Nepal.
I am thirteen years old.”
That much she is sure of. Lakshmi’s and her family live in a small mountain village in Nepal and are incredibly poor. She is innocent, enjoys the simple things in life and isn’t afraid of a little hard work.
However, when the harsh monsoons destroy the family crop, their only lifeline, her life is also devastated. Lakshmi believes that she is being sent away to work as a maid in the city, but it isn’t long before she realizes she is trapped, sold into the world of prostitution.
Does she have the strength to survive in this cruel world? What choice does she have?

Oggie Cooder by Sarah Weeks

Fourth grader Oggie Cooder is someone you might call “one-of-a-kid”, “unique”, or “unusual” and he likes those descriptions. His parents own a second hand clothing store, which explains his eccentric wardrobe. Oggie also crochets his own shoelaces. But the most interesting thing about Oggie is his talent—CHARVING. What is charving, you ask? It’s what Oggie does to a piece of processed American cheese –he CHEWS and CARVES the cheese into shapes, namely the shapes of the States.
Oggie is disappointed when he learns that his entry into the Bakestuff Company’s name-the-new-bagel contest is rejected. His submission “Raisin’ the Roof” is SO much better than the winning name “Sunshine”. Which would you rather eat?
So while bagels aren’t the food that will make Oggie famous, his weird charving ability is about to propel him from weirdo to Mr. Popular. Can Oggie Cooder handle being the Big Cheese?

How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, & Lauren Myracle

Three acclaimed teen authors have joined forces to create a tale of the ultimate girl power road trip. Jesse, Vicks, & Mel take a break from summer jobs at the Awful Waffle in Niceville, FL and hit the road on a journey complete with hurricanes, hungry crocodiles, and an ugly station wagon. The girls learn that no matter how rich, poor, happy or miserable you are, sometimes you need to learn how to be bad in order to finally be good with what life throws your way.

*This book will be published in May 2008.*

Find out more about the book and authors on their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/how_to_be_bad

Mary's Review: xxxHolic by Clamp

Chances are good that if you've ever picked up a manga, you're familiar with CLAMP. Chances are good that if you know CLAMP you're familiar with their opus, Tsubasa. Perhaps less famous but just as, if not more, excellent is Tsubasa's periodic crossover series xxxHolic (most often pronounced as 'Holic'). Be not afraid, dear reader; one need not follow Tsubasa in order to enjoy this bizzare gothic/horror/romantic drama, though it does add an interesting layer to the story. Ignoring the intertwining elements, the basic story of Holic can be related thusly; 15 year old Watanuki Kimihiro (last name first) is an emotional young man (almost overly so; his spastic mood swings are a highlight of the comedic scenes) who lives alone, having lost both his parents to an accident at an early age. On top of that, he is cursed with the ability to see spirits who in turn follow him relentlessly. One day Watanuki passes a peculiar house which dispels the spirits once he steps inside. From there he is drawn against his will inside and meets a mysterious woman named Yuko. She claims to run a shop that grants wishes, for an appropriate price of course. That includes ridding Watanuki of his cursed spirit vision. And so, almost unwittingly, Watanuki becomes a part time worker at the shop in order to have his wish granted by hard work. This setup places Holic into a comfortably episodic scene similar to Petshop of Horrors; customers are drawn to the shop for whatever reason, taking away an object or instrument that could help them if only they could realize their flaw. As the series progresses it introduces the cheerful Himawari, on whom Watanuki nurses a crush, and the taciturn Doumeki, a young man with whom Watanuki bickers constantly but seems to be connected to by fate. As interesting as the customer episodes are, it is when the trio comes together that Holic truly shines. Luckily the series trends towards this, using the relationship of the three characters as well as the mysterious relationship between Yuko and Watanuki to form a solid basis for the episodic stories. The limitation of the series is that the stories themselves recall gothic horror using old myths and legends, calling on a love or at least tolerance of horror from the reader. And of course an acceptance of CLAMP's art; that is to say, many attractive young men and women whose slender frames and long limbs could only have been acheived by putting the victim into a taffy puller. That aside, the pacing and subtlety of the story have a way of hopelessly addicting the reader. CLAMP has not been one of the most popular artist groups in Japan for the past 15 years for nothing.

Final Verdict: 5Q, 3P

*This series is not owned by NCPL but can be requested through InterLibrary Loan**

Carrie's Review: Deception Point by Dan Brown

After a NASA satellite discovers a rare meteorite buried far down in the Arctic Ice, the White House calls upon Rachel Sexton, a intelligence analyst who works for the NRO, the National Reconnaissance Office. The President knows that this discovery will not only save NASA's falling reputation but will guarantee his victory in the upcoming election. Rachel Sexton travels to the Arctic where she teams up with the charming Michael Toland and a number of other scientific experts. This is where they uncover a mind blowing conspiracy which indicates the meteorite, which contains bug-like specimen, to have not come from Outer Space, but which was instead inserted from underneath the ice shelf. Before the scientists can learn more about this treachery, a highly skilled team of assassins that branch off of the U.S. Army attacks their camp and kills most of the scientists. Michael Toland and Rachel Sexton barely escape and now must find a way to survive the harsh environment of the Northern Arctic. However, the only way to truly save not only themselves but the entire Nation as well is to uncover the greatest deception of them all. This is an action-packed and fast paced read, full of intense plot twist sand shocking surprises it will have readers begging for more.
Rating: 5Q, 5P

Jessica's Review: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand is the well-renowned philosopher and author of Atlas Shrugged as well as The Fountainhead. The Fountainhead is a story of humanity and what many would consider the corruption fueling it. What one would believe as corruption is in fact the fine divide between the two types of society: the creators and the second handers. The entire novel is a story of humanity's struggle against individuality and the true meaning of ego. The ego being assumed as the sacrifice of others for oneself and the opposing "ideal" of altruism which believes we must sacrifice ourselves for others and yet in sacrificing ourselves for others aren't we all still looking for something in return? Some accolade? The key characters of this story stress the very ends of the spectrum and ideals commonly or uncommonly held in our society. Howard Roark, architect, is the ultimate egoist. He does not sacrifice others for himself as one might believe, but sacrifices himself for himself, his creations. He is an individual who lives for no one but himself, he does not require the social attitudes of those around him. Ellseworth Toohey is a columnist who knows that there are creators like Roark and he is of the belief that such individuality should be looked down on by society. He uses his column to turn society on Roark's ideals but in the end Roark's character finds the purest way to live.
I would suggest this book to anyone who is interested in a more humanistic/deeper view of life. I know at first it seems strange that the entire book is based around architecture but that is merely a metaphor for the construction of life and different ideals.
Rating: 5Q, 2P

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

Imagine going on the dream vacation of a lifetime, to a place you’d dreamed of and studied for years. You would probably believe just about anything in order to achieve your dream. But what if that dream vacation became your worst nightmare? For Sym, Antarctica is the place she’s always wanted to go. She’s read and researched and knows everything there is to know about the first expeditions to “The Ice.” When Uncle Victor decides to take a holiday to Paris, she’s excited to see the Eiffel Tower. And when he makes “arrangements” to extend their trip to the bottom of the Earth, Sym believes her 14 years worth of dreams are coming true. But the expedition to Antarctica is not all it’s cracked up to be. Uncle Victor has a hidden agenda and before she knows it, Sym is fighting for her life in The White Darkness that is Antarctica.

The White Darkness is the 2008 Printz Award winner.

Mary's Review: Quirkyalone by Sasha Cagen

For many among the community Valentine's Day is a special kind of torture, wherein one watches the rather nauseating romantic displays of others while questioning one's own worth. For those who find themselves often alone, not willing to settle just for the sake of a relationship, there is a book for you. Know that you are not alone. The great thing about quirkyalone is that it is so relatable in a nation that is obsessed with the wedding. The insights of this book have a way of ringing true in an 'aha, I never thought of that before, but yes!' sort of manner. Its regretable that the book is so short (fewer than 200 pages, with many photographs), and that it never quite seems to strike a rhythmn between its personal stories and the overarching cataloguing of the quirkyalone in its various guises. Because both aspects are enjoyable this is quite easy to overlook, and the pacing of the book never feels lagging or dull. A warning to readers-heed the quiz at the beginning of the book. This is not a read for those outside of the quirkyalone affinity, who will more likely find it to be ridiculous and even pathetic than insightful and comforting. To those of you among the club, welcome. We've been expecting you.
Final verdict: 4Q, 3P

Jessica's Review: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown is a book that needs almost no review. One needs only to read the reviews of movie critics to get the basic gist of the story. This book has been raved about as well as its author's other books (Deception Point, Digital Fortress, Angels and Demons) and every book has been talked about from book club to book club, coworker to coworker, friend to friend. There are few people who haven't recommended any of Brown's books to another. Even if you are not a specialist in the history of Christ or the reason behind thousands of years of the Masons who've been protecting Christ's secrets, it is still easy to understand the plot of the book and the educational experience one has when learning about DaVinci himself and what he has hidden in his paintings. Although many people are of the belief that books made into movies are the worst thing you could ever do to a book considering they never do the story justice (a belief of which I usually agree). I find that the film version of this story starring Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, the lead character, was in fact brilliant. Each actor/actress carried themselves in such a way that made every moment believable. I would recommend the book, the movie, and the author to anyone who loves a good mystery, a good adventure, or just a good story.
Rating: 5Q, 5P

Carrie's Review: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Fat Charlie Nancy has been embarrassed by his father for as long as he can remember, so when he finds out his father has died of a heart attack while singing in a karaoke bar, it only adds to his mortification. Fat Charlie has no choice but to leave England and attend his father's funeral in Florida which he ends up missing after mistaking another funeral party for his father's. Charlie knows that his father must be laughing at his son's mix up. Then everything turns for the worst after Fat Charlie finds out that his father is a God. Anansi, to be more exact, a trickster spider God found in African folklore. From then on Fat Charlie's world is turned upside down: he meets his long lost brother, Spider, who has seemed to have inherited all of his father's powers and charm and who has taken a liking to Fat Charlie's fiancé. If that isn't enough to deal with, Fat Charlie learns that his boss is succeeding to frame him with embezzlement charges! This novel is an exciting and fast paced read, which integrates pieces of African mythology with the fast paced world of today's society. Neil Gaiman, author of Stardust, now a famous motion picture, spins an exciting tale which is sure to captivate any audience of readers looking for action, humor, and family acceptance no matter how bizarre the circumstances may be.

Rating: 4Q, 4P

Dane's Review: The Theory of Everything: the origin and fate of the universe by Stephen Hawking

Holy camoly bro. I HEART science and what better sci-fi wonder than the universe itself. The greatest mysteries are those of our own world! Hawking is a must read author. He takes the vast complexities of the universe and explains them through easy to understand metaphors and combines wit and humor into his writing with ease. The craft of his work is outstanding and marvelous, and even if you don't understand, have a huge interest in or an extensive background of science, specifically the micro and macro sciences of the universe, you can still read Hawking.
After finishing this book I went straight for more and I suggest you do the same because it really isn't any universal mystery as to why Hawking is a best seller.
Rating: 5Q, 4P

Jackie's Wild Seattle by Will Hobbs

Shannon (14) and Cody (7) have just arrived in Seattle and are excited to spend the summer with their mysterious Uncle Neal while their parents are volunteering with Doctors Without Borders in Pakistan. Right away they realize that Seattle is worlds away from their home in New Jersey and Uncle Neal failed to mention several things to their mother. First of all, he is a full time volunteer for a wildlife rescue center called Jackie’s Wild Seattle and they will be living at the center for the summer. Neal rescues all kinds of animals, great and small, and brings them to the center. On their first day, Shannon and Cody assist Neal in rescuing a bald eagle that has fallen from its nest. Neal names the eagle, Liberty, and spends all his free time with her. Normally he has no interaction with the animals after he brings them to Jackie but Shannon soon learns that Neal is hiding a secret. What is it about Liberty and the circle of healing that has brought Uncle Neal to Jackie’s Wild Seattle? How will this summer complete with a red-tailed hawk, a coyote in an elevator, a stranded baby seal, a talking raven named Kickstand, and a bear cub change their lives forever?

Jack's Run by Roland Smith

Because Alonzo Aznar and his drug cartel found the Osborne’s in Nevada, the Witness Security Program has moved them to a new location and changed their identities once again. Jack has now become Mack and the Greenes have been joined by their father, who is set to testify against Alonzo in an upcoming trial. Christine –once Joanne- has moved to L.A. for college and a shot at hitting it big in Hollywood and as a safety precaution Mack will be joining her for the duration of the trial. But is the city of “lights, camera, action” really going to keep them safe and undercover? Will someone slip up and will Alonzo find the Osborne/Granger/Greenes once again? How does American Idol figure in to the mix?

Jack's Run is the sequel to Zach's Lie