Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins – This is the fight-to-the-death sequel to The Hunger Games.

Savvy by Ingrid Law (2009 Newberry Honor book).

For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a “savvy” -a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her older brothers create hurricanes and spark electricity . . . and now it’s the eve of Mibs’s big day.

As if waiting weren’t hard enough, the family gets scary news two days before Mibs’s birthday: Poppa has been in a terrible accident. Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital and prove that her new power can save her dad. So she sneaks onto a salesman’s bus . . . only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up -and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.

Truce by two-time Newberry Honor book author Jim Murphy is an amazing true story.

On July 29th 1914, the world’s peace was shattered as the artillery of the Austria-Hungary Empire began shelling the troops of the country to its south. What followed was like a row of falling dominoes as one European country after another rushed into war. Soon most of Europe was fighting in this calamitous war that could have been avoided. This was, of course, the First World War.

But who could have guessed that on December 25 the troops would openly defy their commanding officers by stopping the fighting and having a spontaneous celebration of Christmas with their “enemies”?

In what can only be described as a Christmas Miracle, this beautiful and heartrending narrative will remind everyone how brotherhood and love for one another reaches far beyond war and politics.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

A charming and inventive story of a child struggling to find her identity at the turn of the 20th century. As the only girl in an uppercrust Texas family of seven children, Calpurnia, 11, is expected to enter young womanhood with all its trappings of tight corsets, cookery, and handiwork. Unlike other girls her age, Callie is most content when observing and collecting scientific specimens with her grandfather. Bemoaning her lack of formal knowledge, he surreptitiously gives her a copy of The Origin of Species and Callie begins her exploration of the scientific method and evolution, eventually happening upon the possible discovery of a new plant species. Callie’s mother, believing that a diet of Darwin, Dickens, and her grandfather’s influence will make Callie dissatisfied with life, sets her on a path of cooking lessons, handiwork improvement, and an eventual debut into society. Callie’s confusion and despair over her changing life will resonate with girls who feel different or are outsiders in their own society. Callie is a charming, inquisitive protagonist; a joyous, bright, and thoughtful creation. The conclusion encompasses bewilderment, excitement, and humor as the dawn of a new century approaches. Several scenes, including a younger brother’s despair over his turkeys intended for the Thanksgiving table and Callie’s heartache over receiving The Science of Housewifery as a Christmas gift, mix gentle humor and pathos to great effect. The book ends with uncertainty over Callie’s future, but there’s no uncertainty over the achievement of Kelly’s debut novel.—Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA

The 39 Clues Book 6: In Too Deep by Jude Watson. In this 6th book, Amy and Dan Cahill must follow the clues and travel across the deepest oceans on the trail of a famous aviator. Six more cards are included in this book for your participation in the online 39 Clues game.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (*some mature content)

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

The One Left Behind by Willo Davis Roberts – feeling as though the rest of her large family has moved on, 11-year-old Mandy continues to struggle with the death of her twin. Left alone in her house over a long weekend, she pretends that Angel is still with her, but it no longer worked to pretend anything beautiful, or exciting, or magical. Without Angel to share, Mandy felt broken, destroyed. Midway through the weekend, she discovers a runaway boy, Zander, who has broken into her house. Fugitives from a kidnapping plot, the teen and his toddler brother seek her help, and now she, and not her daring twin, must become courageous and independent.  Mandy and Zander face troubles that leave them incomplete, and the drama of outthinking and outrunning the kidnappers imbues what might otherwise be just an issue book with page-turning pacing. Give this quick read to girls not quite ready for Caroline Cooney or Lurlene McDaniel.

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gordon Korman has a knack for odd characters that buck the system of teen “normalcy.” This is no exception. Cap, or Capricorn Anderson, has been living on a commune with his grandmother Rain. At this point, there are just two of them left, so when Rain gets hurt and breaks her hip, Cap must leave his sheltered life and go to middle school. He sticks out like a huge bullseye of weirdness, but Cap has a lot to teach the students of C average middle school. High interest, low readability, appealing voice.

View all my reviews.

Balsa was a wanderer and warrior for hire. Then she rescued a boy flung into a raging river — and at that moment, her destiny changed. Now Balsa must protect the boy — the Prince Chagum — on his quest to deliver the great egg of the water spirit to its source in the sea. As they travel across the land of Yogo and discover the truth about the spirit, they find themselves hunted by two deadly enemies: the egg-eating monster Rarunga . . . and the prince’s own father.

–$5.00

  Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass

Wendy Mass weaves an intricate and compelling story about strangers coming together under different circumstances and establishing unlikely friendships. With breathtaking descriptions of nature and its ultimate phenomenon, the eclipse, Every Soul a Star is a powerful and humorous story about dealing with change and discovering one’s place in the universe.

$6.00

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis

Super logical Emma-Jean has little in common with her seventh-grade classmates until she joins forces with them to defeat the school mean girl.

$3.00

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney

Greg’s father thinks he should just toughen up! Could military school be the answer?

$6.00

April’s Scholastic Tab has 32 items for $5 or less, so come and get a flyer from room 1103, “the Reading Room.”

Did you know that graphic novels contain more rare words than most young adult fiction? This is the classic Brahm Stoker Dracula story done in the dope comic format that’s all the rage (again).

I love quirky, and this book is full of quirky. For example, in the minute it could take you to read this page, the Earth will be hit by 6,000 lightning strikes; 2,137 pounds of popcorn will be eaten; 10,000 pieces of skin will be lost from your body; 21,000 pizzas will be baked; 954 camera phones will be sold worldwide; the International Space Station will travel 289 miles in its orbit around the Earth; and 750,000 gallons of water will tumble over Niagara Falls.

Ok, yes, I wrote about this before, but I really think this series has beaucoup (choke) potential. Dan and Amy Cahill are in a race with their other conniving relatives for the 39 clues that will reveal the secret of the Cahill power. Learn history the fun way. There’s also a 39 clues game on the website and I kind of got into that. Spent an evening trying to get through as many clues as I could, and so if you want to play the game and use the cards that are not in your book, Scholastic also has a card pack for sale with 16 other cards. You can also use codes from other people’s cards, so if you want to play online, you can use my cards too: 234W6MRGX2. Warning, if, like me, you are not adept at dexterity/skill type of video games, you will be frustrated by some of the online games. I can’t get certain clues because I can’t pass enough levels of flying, or whatever to get the clue. ARGH!

If you’re interested in ordering books, come to my room to get a flyer and order online

www.scholastic.com/parentordering

class username: kamehameha

password: imua

This month’s recommendations:

From TRC (teen readers’ club)

Favorite author this year, Stephanie Meyer (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn) came out with her first sci-fi book, The Host. Will Melanie Stryder refuse to surrender her brain to the alien presence known as Wanderer? Two souls, one body. . .and a love that’s bigger than both!

From TAB:

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti When 16 year old Helmuth discovers that Germany is lying to its people, he tries to expose the truth — and he is tried for treason! Gripping WWII drama told in flashbacks with breathtaking suspense.