Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (audio)

Burn for Burn (Simon & Schuster Audio)
Audience: Grades 9+

My Rating: 4* of 5

Summary: Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge. KAT is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend. LILLIA has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it. MARY is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him. None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible. 
Comments: Okay, I confess, this is my first Han read. Not what I expected; there was bite behind all the lip gloss! Some turns were predictable while others not at all. Some mature content--drinking, drugs, and a sex crime that is left unresolved (at least in this installment). Definitely leaves you burning for book 2!
Read-alikes: Other titles by Han/Vivian. Pretty Little Liars series by Shepard.
 

Almost Home by Joan Bauer

Almost Home by Joan Bauer.
Audience: Grades 5-8

My Rating: 5* of 5

Summary: Sixth-grader Sugar and her mother lose their beloved house and experience the harsh world of homelessness.
Comments: When I finished "awwwwing" the cover, I decided I would never read this book. As a person sensitive to bad things happening to animals, I steer well clear of books like this. Buuuut...I cracked it open and accidentally fell in. This story about newly homeless Sugar and her puppy, Shush, is like a perfect glass of iced tea--sweet (but not saccharine), strong, and everything that feels right about the South. Spoiler to ease the minds of sensitive readers like me: Shush's abuse by a previous owner is briefly mentioned, but from then on he is safe and nothing but loved. His elderly dog friend does pass of old age during the story, but he lived a good life and was loved till the end.
Read-alikes: Each Little Bird that Sings by Deborah Wiles; Ida B. by Katherine Hanningan
Awards: Texas Lone Star list 2013

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge.

Audience: 7th grade and up

My Rating: 4.5* of 5

Summary: Paige Turner has just moved to New York with her family, and she's having some trouble adjusting to the big city. In the pages of her sketchbook, she tries to make sense of her new life, including trying out her secret identity: artist. As she makes friends and starts to explore the city, she slowly brings her secret identity out into the open, a process that is equal parts terrifying and rewarding. Laura Lee Gulledge crafts stories and panels with images that are thought-provoking, funny, and emotionally resonant. Teens struggling to find their place can see themselves in Paige's honest, heartfelt story.
Comments: Picked this up on a whim and was wowed by the Agents of Whimsy! A quintessential representation of the teen, self-absorbed, but working through the process (in this case artistic) of self-awareness and expression. Artwork is outstanding--conveying as much if not more than text--ranging from funny to profound. My only complaint was that the slight conflict between Paige and her friend Jules never really seemed resolved.

Turtle in Paradise (audio)

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm. Narrated by Becca Battoe.

Audience: 3rd-5th grade

My Rating: 2.5* of 5

Summary: Life isn't like the movies, and eleven-year-old Turtle is no Shirley Temple. She's smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935, and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida, to stay with relatives she's never met.

Comments: Whether it was Battoe's reading, Holm's writing, or both this story never grabbed my attention nor held it captive. While I appreciate the slice of Key West life, it did not feel like a well crafted story to me, making the final plot twists seem out of place. The "Diaper Gang," who only watch "bad babies cuz there ain't no such thing as good babies" was the highlight throughout.
Awards: Bluebonnet list 2011-2012

Zitface (ARC) by Emily Howse

Zitface (ARC) by Emily Howse pub April, 2011 from Marshall Cavendish.
Audience: 5th-7th grade
My Rating: 2.5* of 5
Summary: 13 year old Olivia is already a successful commercial actress, a strong student, and well liked by her classmates. But everything changes when one pimple becomes a serious case of acne.
Comments: Thank you, MC, for this ARC. Howse's debut novel tackles a subject not often covered in tween-lit, but that is relevant for many readers (though this particular book is not boy-friendly). While a bit dry and pedantic overall, Zitface may be just what some girls need at a fragile time.

Monster High by Lisi Harrison (ARC)

Monster High by Lisi Harrison. Poppy, 2010.

**NEXT BIG THING ALERT!** This is gonna be a huge tween hit! It is way voltage!

Audience: Ages 12+ (though younger are going to want to read it bc of the dolls)

My Rating: 4* of 5

Summary: Created just fifteen days ago, Frankie Stein is psyched to trade her father's formaldehyde-smelling basement lab for parties and prom. But with a student body totally freaked out by rumors of monsters stalking the halls, Frankie learns that high school can be rough for a chic freak like her. She thinks she finds a friend in fellow new student Melody Carver-but can a "normie" be trusted with her big secret?

Comments: Leave it to Lisi to make a Clique + Twi-tween mash-up of monstrous proportions! The beauty is that MH offers infinitely more concept, fun, and substance than the girls of OCD ever could. Frankie is exceedingly likable and her "normie" foil, Melody is likewise. "Coming out of the casket" references abound, but rather than elicit zombie groans they crackle with Frankie's enthusiasm toward her cause of monster acceptance. An appealing and quality read that backed by some evil genius marketing (uh-dorable dolls by Mattel, Monsterhigh.com video shorts and games, and stinking cute Halloween costumes rtg) is going to explode by October!
Awards:

Read-alikes: Clique, Alphas

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies (audio)

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane. 2009.
Audience: Grades 5th-9th. Ages 10+.

My Rating: 4.5*s of 5
Summary: Eighth-grader Molly's ability to throw a knuckleball earns her a spot on the baseball team, which not only helps her feel connected to her recently deceased father, who loved baseball, it helps in other aspects of her life, as well.
Comments: A wonderfully written book--so much so that even this monotonous narrator (Maria Cabezas) can't ruin it. Captivating, real character development, well balanced, and subtly yet satisfyingly ended. A story as delicate and interesting as the butterfly pitches Molly throws. Impossible to resist the urge to play catch after reading this one!

Awards:
Read-alikes: Zen and the Art of Faking it by Sonnenblick, Dairy Queen by Murdock

Boys are Dogs (audio)

Boys are Dogs by Leslie Margolis. 2008.

Audience: Grades 4th-6th. Ages 8-12.
My Rating: 4*s of 5

Summary: When her mother gets a new boyfriend, sixth-grader Annabelle gets to cope with a new town, a new school, and a new puppy and, while training her puppy, she decides to apply some of the same techniques to tame the unruly boys that are making her middle-school life miserable.

Comments: What can I say, I'm a softy for a cute puppy book! Annabelle is fun to follow as she begins to stand up to the boys who bully her. The mom/new boyfriend subplot is also very well written. As an adult reader, I was at times concerned that she never involved an adult in her problems with boy bullies. But overall it was more satisfying to watch her solve her own (and in turn her friends) conflicts with boys.
Awards: YALSA Amazing Audio list 2010.

Read-alikes: Girls Acting Catty by Margolis

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff. 2009.

Audience: Grades 4th-6th. Ages 8-12.
My Rating: 3*s of 5

Summary: After her brother Jared dies, ten-year-old Annie worries about the hidden dangers of everything, from bug bites to bicycle riding, until she is befriended by a new neighbor who is grieving her own loss.

Comments: A light touch on a heavy subject. While I found it difficult to connect with Annie for the first half of the story, the last few chapters made the read worthwhile. One can only hope there is a Mrs. Finch out there for every grieving young person.

Awards: Bluebonnet List 2010-2011.

Read-alikes: Olive's Ocean by Henkes, Leo and the Lesser Lion by Forrester, Love Aubrey by LaFleur.

Franny Parker by McKinnon

Franny Parker by Hannah McKinnon. 2009.

Audience: Grades 4-8th; ages 10 and up

My Rating: 3*s of 5

Summary: Franny Parker's life revolves around her family, their farm, and their dusty Oklahoma town. Then the Dunns move in next door, harboring painful secrets. From the moment Franny meets Lucas, the two begin a friendship that introduces Franny to a larger world.

Comments: A nicely written coming of age story (and debut novel). Readers will especially enjoy the animal rescue elements and the dangerous mystery of Lucas and his family. Franny's mother is a particularly appealing character.

Awards:

Read-alikes: Dairy Queen

The True Meaning of Smekday

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. 2007.

Audience: ??? This is my question...who is this book for? The main character is 12, but very smart-talking and mature. There is plenty of swearing and semi-swearing. It weighs in at over 400 pages and overall is pretty sophisticated, sarcastic, and mature IMHO.

We have this title in Juvenile. Plano has it in YA. Dallas has it in Juvenile. SLJ says grades 4-8...4th grade? Really? Publisher's Weekly says ages 8 and up...8? Really?

I really enjoyed this book, but am a bit baffled by where it really belongs and who is the best audience for this one. Please weigh in if you have input!

When You Reach Me (audio)

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. 2009.
Audience: Grades 4-7th; ages 9-14
My Rating: 4*s of 5
Summary: As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.
Comments: I kept seeing reviews for this book and decided to give it a listen. It is a great puzzle-read with a well written girl protagonist. It was very satisfying to keep track of each subtle clue as it clicks into place. More than anything, though, it is a book about relationships. A passage about racism is deftly but clearly handled. I enjoyed this clever story and find myself thinking about it from time to time.
Awards: Newbery medal!
Read-alikes: A Wrinkle in Time (more of a companion book than a read-alike), Chasing Vermeer by Balliet

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. 2009.
Audience: Grades 8+; ages 13+
My Rating: 5*s of 5
Summary: “Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls. “Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another. I am that girl. I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through. I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.
Comments: Wintergirls is as close to perfect as a book can come. The hook is immediately gripping, pacing is just right, Lia is frustrating and fascinating, and Cassie is mesmerizing. Some passages made me shiver, some made me physically revolted, they all made me want to read more. The new devices Anderson includes (strikeout type, font changes, numbering the 33 times Cassie called, punctuation play) all combine deftly and perfectly to tell this story. Perhaps most importantly, the message of the book is that eating disorders require a hard look at the brain, not just the body. If Wintergirls is not a Printz or other big award winner, I will be sorely disappointed at the oversight.
Awards: better be!
Read-alikes: Speak by Anderson

Suddenly Supernatural: School Spirit by Kimmel

School Spirit (Suddenly Supernatural book 1) by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel. 2009.

Audience: Grades 4-6th; ages 8-13

My Rating: 4.5*s of 5

Summary: Like her mother, a professional medium, 7th grader, Kat, has been able to see dead people since turning thirteen, and although they would prefer to be normal, Kat and her best friend come to terms with their own talents while helping free the spirit of a girl trapped at their middle school.

Comments: This book jumped into my hands off of the "new" shelf and I couldn't put it down! Great storytelling and a surprising depth to the characters and story. Kat is someone you can easily follow through a book series. The supernatural elements felt believable and even had a few scary moments that serve as a teaser to continue the series. A great recommendation for younger fantasy/horror readers. I can't wait to read more in the series.

Awards:

Read-alikes: Savvy by Law, Allie Finkle series by Cabot (sans the supernatural, of course)

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker (audio)

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker. 2006.
Audience: Grades 2-4; 7-10
My Rating: 4.5*s of 5
Summary: While sorting through difficulties in her friendship with her neighbor Margaret, eight-year-old (third-grader) Clementine gains several unique hairstyles while also helping her father in his efforts to banish pigeons from the front of their apartment building.
Comments: A great narrator and delightful story! Clementine is put-her-in-your pocket lovable. Her "spectacular ideas" and eventual mishaps create many laugh out loud moments. Can't wait to read more about her!

Awards:
Read-alikes: Ida B. by Hannigan, Ramona books by Beverly Cleary, Judy Moody books by McDonald

Year of the Dog by Grace Lin (audio)

Year of the Dog by Grace Lin. 2007.

Audience: Grades 3-5; 9-12

My Rating: 3*s of 5

Summary: It's the Chinese Year of the Dog, and as Pacy celebrates with her family, she finds out that this is the year she is supposed to "find herself." Universal themes of friendship, family, and finding one's life passions make this novel appealing to readers of all backgrounds.

Comments: Fantastic narrator! I enjoyed the character of Pacy/Grace as well as her friend Melody. While the mother's "did I ever tell you?" stories were interesting, I occasionally found myself groaning at the arrival of another one. Forgive me for sounding ignorant, but this book made it seem to me that money is one of the most important things in Taiwanese culture. It seems that Chinese-American young readers may especially enjoy seeing their culture and identity in this story.

Awards: Bluebonnet list, 2008

Read-alikes: The Year of the Rat by Grace Lin

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

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Savvy by Ingrid Law. 2008.

Audience: 10-13, Grades 4-7

My Rating: 4*s of 5

Summary: Recounts the adventures of Mibs Beaumont, whose thirteenth birthday has revealed her "savvy"--a magical power unique to each member of her family--just as her father is injured in a terrible accident.

Comments: I wish, wish, wish I had read this book instead of listening to it. The narrator was mediocre and her reading made the language quirks of the book (repeating words in threes, "sure as sure" formula, etc.) seem more annoying than charming. I wonder if, had I read the book, they would have blended into the overall recipe of the story and added to the delight rather than detract. Otherwise, I greatly enjoyed the characters and plot (though it could have been taken out of the oven a bit sooner in my opinion). The "savvy" concept is excellent and I'm sure will excite young readers who wish to find their own special talent.

Awards: Newbery Honor Book 2009; Bluebonnet nominee 2009-2010; Boston Globe-Horn book honors 2008

Read-alikes:

Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day

Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day by Meg Cabot. 2008.
Audience: 8-12, Grades 3-5
My Rating: 4.5*s out of 5
Summary: When nine-year-old Allie Finkle's parents announce that they are moving her and her brothers from their suburban split-level into an ancient Victorian in town, Allie's sure her life is over. She's not at all happy about having to give up her pretty pink wall-to-wall carpeting for creaky floorboards and creepy secret passageways-not to mention leaving her modern, state-of-the-art suburban school for a rundown, old-fashioned school just two blocks from her new house.
Comments: How does Meg Cabot do it? I have enjoyed everything I've read by her, regardless of the subject or audience. Her writing is current and vernacular, but doesn't seem dumbed-down. Allie was honest, independent, and endearlingly flawed. At first I thought the "rules" concept would get in the way, but instead it nicely threaded the story together. My favorite rule (very hard to choose just one)..."When you finally figure out what the right thing to do is, you have to do it, even if you don't want to."
Awards:
Read-alikes:

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall. 2008.

My Rating: 4*s out of 5
Audience: Ages 8-12/Grades 4-8
Summary: The four Penderwick sisters are faced with the unimaginable prospect of their widowed father dating, and they hatch a plot to stop him.
Comments: Fun read for girls, heightened/unrealistic dialogue, variety of ages/personalities to relate to, well paced, satisfying ending
Awards: 2009-2010 Bluebonnet nominee
Read-alikes: The Penderwicks