Emerald Atlas (galley)

Emerald Atlas (galley) by John Stephens pub April, 2011 from Knopf.
Audience: 5th-7th grade
My Rating: 3* of 5
Summary: Kate, Michael, and Emma have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage. Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.
Comments: Thank you, Cindy B., for loaning this ARC of Stephens' debut novel. Pacing was off for me and several aspects seemed too Harry Potter-ish to be original. Some compelling characters, though, in Dwarf, Witch, and Gollum-esqe categories. The climax was confusing and relied upon the reader remembering a detail from much earlier in the book; in general the time-travel "rules" were fuzzy to the point of disbelief. The late appearance of the true antagonist (very a la Voldemort) showed promise for the next two installments.
Read-Alikes: Harry Potter series, Series of Unfortunate Events

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling (audio)

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood. Listening Library, 2010. (Narrated by Katherine Kellgren)

Audience: Grades 5 and up

My Rating: 5* of 5

Summary: Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary trio of children. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position, but finds that mysteries abound at Ashton Place.
Comments: "All books are judged by their cover until they are read," according to Agatha Swanburne, headmistress of Penelope Lumley's former boarding school. This, along with many more pithy sayings by Swanburne, are the heart of what makes The Mysterious Howling a delightfully charming read (perfectly voiced by Kellgren). Part Lemony Snicket and part Mary Poppins, Wood has created a darling backdrop (though not saccharine) for her vivid characters to play out their often surprising parts. As this first installment in the series winds down, the mystery is just beginning to surface, making the wait for another trip to Ashton Place seem like an eternity. But as Agatha Swanburne says, "One can board one's train only after it arrives at the station; until then, enjoy your newspaper."

Awards:

Read-alikes: Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

The Graveyard Book (audio)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. 2008.
Audience: 5th or 6th Grade and up; 10 and up
My Rating: 3.5*s of 5
Summary: The orphan Bod, short for Nobody, is taken in by the inhabitants of a graveyard as a child of eighteen months and raised lovingly and carefully to the age of eighteen years by the community of ghosts and otherworldly creatures.

Comments: I first picked up this book right after it's release in Sept. of 2008 being a big Gaiman fan and eager to read his newest. About the time I got to the ghoul scene, I lost interest and put it down. Now, since Gaiman himself narrates, I made it through the entire audio book much more easily (though I still found the ghoul scene boring and somewhat pointless). This is not my favorite of his books (I much preferred Anansi Boys) and is often too reminiscent of Coraline. However, it carries Gaiman's usual charming voice; the "Dance the Macabre" chapter is enchantingly well written. The beginning is quite scary, especially in print with the dark illustrations. The setting and characters are certainly original for a younger, coming of age story and I appreciate the overall message of the value of life as well as the cost of living in fear.
Awards: Newbery Medal winner, 2009!
Read-alikes: Coraline

Bloody Jack, book 1 (audio)

Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer. 2007.

Audience: 6th Grade and up; 12 and up

My Rating: 5*s of 5

Summary: Jacky Faber,having secured a position as ship's boy aboard the HMS "Dolphin," welcomes the respite from the desperation and hunger of life on the streets of eighteenth-century London, and now has only one thing to worry about--keeping the crew from learning that he is actually a girl.

Comments: The only complaint I can muster for this fantastically narrated story is that I want more, more, more! I bloody loved this book! Jacky is a capable, likable, ingenious girl and I enjoyed taking this voyage with her. I can't wait for the next audio! http://www.jackyfaber.com/

Awards:

Read-alikes: Pirates! by Celia Rees, Bloody Jack adventures books 2-5 by L.A. Meyer

One False Note

One False Note (39 Clues series, book 2) by Gordon Korman. 2008.
Audience: 4-8th Grade
My Rating: 2*s of 5
Summary: Amy and Dan Cahill are in the lead to find thirty-nine clues that safeguard a great power, and are in possession of a coded sheet of Mozart's music that will help them find the next clue while their relatives follow in close pursuit. (Does not include game cards.)
Comments: I was really disappointed with this book. Between the series hype and the author's reputation, I had high expectations that this flat action story fell far short of. It reads like the screenplay to Da Vinci Code probably did or any given transcript of "The Amazing Race." This might be a good thing, though, for this age audience and espeically boys/reluctant readers? I might also feel differently had I read book 1 and/or checked out the other branches of this multi-media series.
Awards:
Read-alikes: Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy-Tale Detective (Book 1)

The Sisters Grimm: Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley. 2005.
Audience: 10-12, Grades 4-6
My Rating: 3.5 *s of 5
Summary: Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother whom they have always believed to be dead.
Comments: Slow start, excellent grandmother character, cliff-hanger ending, clever characters, subtle detective clues.
Awards:
Read-alikes: