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Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

by Jack Gantos

Dead End in Norvelt is a semi-autobiographical novel by the author Jack Gantos. So, it is not a true autobiography, rather it is a work of fiction based on real events and things from Jack Gantos’ life. At the beginning of the book, we meet Jack who is twelve-years-old in the summer of 1962. He lives with his parents in the small town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania. Jack’s summer is not off to a good start, though. He accidentally shot off his father’s Japanese rifle in the backyard and has been grounded for the entire summer. Jack is not allowed to leave his house at all for the whole summer, but there is a stipulation. He can leave to help out his elderly, arthritic neighbor Miss Volker. Due to Miss Volker’s arthritis, she has a hard time using her hands so she needs Jack to help her out around the house and also with her duties as town coroner. As the coroner, Miss Volker needs Jack to drive her to wherever there is a dead body in town and he also helps her by typing up the town’s obituaries. Jack expects that his summer is going to be a boring one. Let’s face it, how many people are going to wind up dead in one summer? But Jack’s summer is anything but boring! First, the old ladies of Norvelt are dropping dead one after another and this leads to a murder mystery investigation. Jack’s father also decides to restore an old plane, Jack has a run in with the Hell’s Angels, and there are house fires and nosebleeds galore! And that’s not even half the story!

Dead End in Norvelt is a great read for summer. It’s an easy read that is laugh out loud hilarious. If you love to laugh and enjoy weird stories, then click here to find Dead End in Norvelt at the Library!

Also, check out this interview with Jack Gantos where he describes more about writing Dead End in Norvelt and how it is based on some real things from Jack’s life and why he wanted to write this story.

By Colleen, Teen Services Librarian on May 22, 2012 Categories: Fiction, Guys Reads, Historical Fiction, Interview, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Staff Pics

Back to the Future!

If you are a fan of time travel, then you should check out these two books!

Tempest

by Julie Cross

Jackson Meyer can jump through time. When we meet him at the beginning of Tempest he is nineteen-years-old in 2009 and is just starting to scratch the surface of his time travelling abilities. He believes that he can only travel to the past for a short amount of time, but that all changes when one morning a couple of strangers burst into his girlfriend’s dorm room and fatally shoot her while trying to abduct Jackson. As Jackson holds the dying Holly in his arms, he suddenly travels back in time to 2007. However, he is stuck in 2007 and has to pretend to be his seventeen-year-old self to try to figure out why he was in danger in 2009. He also begins to discover the secrets his father has hidden from him about his time travelling abilities.

Tempest is an exciting and action-packed book. The characters are really fun to read about and I found myself laughing out loud at times. This is definitely not a dramatic read, but there is a lot of drama with Jackson’s abilities. The mystery behind Jackson’s time jumping powers is very interesting to read but it is also a bit complicated. Pick this book up if you are looking for a book that has a lot of mystery, action, and twists and turns.

Ruby Red

by Kerstin Gier

Gwenyth had grown up knowing that her more sophisticated and prettier cousin Charlotte had the genetic ability to travel through time. Gwenyth is just a normal sixteen-year-old girl who likes to hang out with her friends, gossip and talk on her phone, and who also happens to be able to see and talk to ghosts. Charlotte, however, has had extensive lessons and training for different skills that will come in handy when she starts travelling back in time–like fencing, learning German, and even self defense. It all goes wrong, though, when Gwenyth actually turns out to be the next time traveler in the family. Once The Guardians, the secret order that protects time travellers, confirms that she is “The Ruby” (the last of the time travellers) she is suddenly thrust into a world that she is very unprepared for. Will Gwenyth be able to survive travelling through time without the proper training? Will she uncover the secret of why one of her time travelling relatives ran away and took a precious device with her? And, most importantly, can she learn to tolerate her time travelling partner Gideon–an older, cuter, and very arrogant descendant of another family with the genetic ability to travel through time.

Ruby Red was a good read. The great mystery surrounding Gwenyth’s role as “The Ruby” and the missing time travel device are set up nicely in this first book in a planned trilogy. Be warned, though! The ending is quite a cliffhanger. Gwenyth is a fun character to read about, too. At first I was so frustrated at how immature she was, but I think the author did this so that she could show how much Gwenyth had to grow up when she learned that she had the time travel gene. One thing to know about this book is that it was translated into English from German, and it takes place in London, both in the current day and also in the past. It does use British terms and references, but for me this just added to the story. I am definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

By Colleen, Teen Services Librarian on May 16, 2012 Categories: Action/Adventure, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Staff Pics

Death Cloud by Andrew Lane

Death Cloud

by Andrew Lane

I admit my only exposure to Sherlock Holmes has been the action-packed Robert Downey Jr. movies and the super awesome BBC adaptation. No, I have not read the original novels. However, I do enjoy the character of Sherlock and his abundance of knowledge that always seems to come in handy at just the right moment. The mysteries and the way Sherlock uses his superb sleuthing skills are always interesting and surprising. So, I was excited to find out that Andrew Lane is writing a series that introduces us to the fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes. As an added bonus, this series is the first teen series endorsed by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Literary Estate.

In the first book of the series, Death Cloud, it is 1868 and Sherlock has just been sent to live with his aunt and uncle in their large estate in Hampshire. This arrangement is only supposed to be for Sherlock’s holidays from boarding school, but with his father stationed in India and his mother unwell, Sherlock is not sure what his future holds. His brother, Mycroft, has arranged for Sherlock to be kept busy with an American tutor named Amyus Crowe. Crowe is a Texan from America with a mysterious past, but a great knowledge of many different things. Sherlock is still bored, though, living in the country. Luckily, he makes friends with a local boy named Matty. Of course, through their boredom, the two boys stumble upon a mysterious black cloud that leaves its victims dead with plague-like symptoms. Together, Matty and Sherlock risk their own lives to solve the mystery of the cloud of death.

Death Cloud is filled with tons of action and adventure. And, of course, there is a great mystery that kept me guessing throughout the entire novel. One of the best parts about this book are the things I learned while reading the book. Each aspect of the mystery and how Sherlock comes to his conclusions are explained in depth in the novel, and most of the explanations are logical scientific ones! This is definitely a great read for all teens of all ages who enjoy a good mystery with lots of action and adventure.

Once you’re finished with Death Cloud, be sure to check out the next book in the series, Rebel Fire. In this next book of the series, Sherlock and his friends intercept a plot to resurrect the Southern Cause in America with the supposedly dead John Wilkes Booth!

By Colleen, Teen Services Librarian on May 8, 2012 Categories: Fiction, Guys Reads, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Staff Pics

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick

by Joe Schreiber

With a title like Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick I had no idea what I was in for when I picked up this book by Joe Schreiber. I definitely did not expect a book that has so much action that it puts some of the latest action movies to shame! I also did not expect that the character that is the cause of all the danger, violence, and excitement is a female foreign exchange student. Finally, I didn’t expect that I would love this book and that by the end of the book it was not even close to the story I thought I was reading when I first started.

When I first picked up Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, I thought it would be a mix of a romance with a weird storyline that involved a foreign exchange student. While some of that is true, the story is so much more! Perry is your normal teenage guy, he is a little bit on the geeky side, but deals with the normal pressures that a high school senior deals with– choosing the right college, working at his dad’s work, and dealing with the pressure his parents put on him to achieve the best. However, there is one thing in Perry’s life that isn’t that normal, his family’s Lithuanian exchange student named Gobi. A majority of this novel takes place on one night, a night that will change Perry’s life forever, the night that Perry takes Gobi to the prom and learns that Gobi is actually a 24-year-old trained assassin who has commandeered Perry to be her driver for the night while she hunts down those she has been assigned to kill.

The characters of both Perry and Gobi are so much fun to read. Gobi appears to be this weak girl at first, but is actually a kick butt assassin who is both scary and awesome. Perry grows a lot in this story and at first you think there’s no one that he will survive this night as Gobi’s chauffer. I won’t give the ending away, so you will need to read the book to find out if Perry does make it out alive. This novel has everything action, a little romance, a mystery, and drama. However, there is strong language and a lot of violence, so if that is not something you like to read then this is not the book for you. If you do like an awesome story that keeps you guessing and is filled with nonstop action, then pick up Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick at the Library today!

By Colleen, Teen Services Librarian on April 26, 2012 Categories: Action/Adventure, Fiction, Funny, Staff Pics

All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin

All These Things I’ve Done

by Gabrielle Zevin

Anya Balanchine lives in New York City in 2083. In this future New York City, things like chocolate, coffee, and caffeine are illegal. Water is running out, and clothes are being handed down through the generations because production of new clothing has ceased. This New York City is run by a government that outlaws many things that are commonplace today, but things like chocolate are still available if you know the right people. Anya is one of those people. She is the daughter of a black-market chocolate crime boss, and her family is what we would consider the mafia. Anya’s father, however, was gunned down when she was a child and as far as she’s concerned she wants no part in the family business. Anya will take the perks, though, that come along with being the prominent daughter in one of the most notorious chocolate mafia families. However, these perks come with a price when she gives her ex-boyfriend chocolate that almost kills him. Someone is lacing Anya’s family chocolate with poison and Anya takes the fall. When she finds out what is really happening, Anya has to take steps to make things right which means getting involved in the family business after all.

All These Things I’ve Done is an interesting read. This future NYC is a different kind of dystopian that we’ve been seeing in other books. Zevin has created a world where each thing that is illegal plays such an important role to Anya’s story, even though this world is close to our, this is what makes this novel so interesting. I really liked getting to know Anya’s world better, as much as I liked getting to know Anya herself. She is a really likable character who you want to see take on her enemies and win, but you also hope that she can stay out of the family business and just be a normal teen. The supporting characters in this book are just as important to the story, and you really get a sense of how vital family and friends are in this future world. If you are a fan of dystopian books, like The Hunger Games, but want a world that is not as violent or so different from our own world then pick up Gabrielle Zevin’s All These Things I’ve Done. It has all the things you could want out of a good read: action, crime, the mafia, a mystery, and even some romance thrown into the mix!

By Colleen, Teen Services Librarian on April 20, 2012 Categories: Dystopian, Fiction, Mystery, Staff Pics

The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf

The Watch That Ends the Night

by Allan Wolf

This weekend marks 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. If you are just learning about that disastrous night or if you have been a long time Titanic buff, you should pick up Allan Wolf’s The Watch That Ends the Night. It’s a novel in verse that gives voice to many of the real life passengers aboard the Titanic from the time before it set sail to days after the sinking. Some of the voices include the ship rat, and yes, it is an actual rat’s point of view of life aboard the Titanic. The more famous passengers like John Jacob Aster, the millionaire, and E.J. Smith, the Titanic’s captain, also tell their side of the story. There are lesser known passengers like Jamila Nicola-Yareed, a young teen immigrant who really was aboard the ship, and Wolf has given her a fictional story to tell about what might have happened to her aboard the ship. There are a few other unexpected “characters” who have a voice in this novel, too, like the iceberg and the first class promenade.

The Watch That Ends the Night is a very compelling read and unlike many books about Titanic. Since the author gives each character a personal story to tell, the events that unfold the night that the Titanic sinks are even more dramatic because you really care about each character. Also, a great thing about this book is at the end: the author provides many facts that you should know about the Titanic and the people and things that he gave a voice to in the book. I definitely feel that after having read the book, that I now know much more about the Titanic story. I would highly recommend The Watch That Ends the Night to any aged reader who wants a fantastic book that relates the dramatic story of the Titanic.

By Colleen, Teen Services Librarian on April 14, 2012 Categories: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Staff Pics

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Firelight

by Sophie Jordan

You don’t find many supernatural fiction reads that have dragons as the main character. Usually, you find dragons in fantasy novels where they are the evil creatures that terrorize the lands. However, in Sophie Jordan’s Firelight, she gives us a novel where dragons are shapeshifters who are being hunted to extinction. For Jacinda, being a dragon is her natural form but she can shapeshift to a human form. This is how her species has been able to survive to modern day. Jacinda longs to be free and fly during the day, but her Pride has forbidden it. One day, Jacinda breaks the rules and goes out flying only to be discovered by dragon hunters. When Jacinda almost reveals her Pride to the hunters, she and her family are forced to leave the Pride because Jacinda’s mother fears for her daughter’s safety from retaliation for Jacinda’s carelessness.

What follows is the story of Jacinda and her family struggling to survive in the mortal world and stay safe. They fear their Pride and the life they may force Jacinda to lead, and they also fear being found out by the hunters. Jacinda complicates matters when she begins a forbidden romance with Will, the son of a dragon hunter that is being groomed to be a hunter himself.

Firelight is a great read! It is packed with action and adventure, as well as a good romance story between Jacinda and Will. Pick this book up if you want a different spin on the typical supernatural story or if you want to read a book where dragons are the good guys! Also, check out the book trailer for Firelight:

By Colleen, Teen Services Librarian on March 20, 2012 Categories: Book Trailer, Fantasy, Fiction, Staff Pics, Supernatural/Paranormal

In Honor of Douglas Adams’s 60th Birthday…

Douglas Adams would have been 60 today. In honor of his birthday, pick up his hilarious sci-fi novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. This novel, the first in a series, is a laugh out loud funny account of what happens when the earth is destroyed and earthling Arthur Dent just happens to hitchhike onto to an alien spacecraft right at the end of the world, with his good friend and also alien Ford Prefect. What follows is the account of Arthur’s journey as he travels the galaxy encountering a crazy cast of characters as well as another earthling, Tricia McMillan, who he also happened to meet at a party and asked out, before the end of the earth. Click here to find The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy at the Library.

If you have already read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, did you also know that there was this awesomely well-done movie adaptation of the book?

Click here to find the movie, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, at the Library.

Also, if you just so happen to be a super fan of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (like me) try out this super awesome Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Infocom Adventure game, found on douglasadams.com. Click here to find the game, it’s a role playing game taking cues from the book and you have to try to stay alive, despite the end of the world and hitchhiking your way through the galaxy, just like Arthur Dent.

By Colleen, Teen Services Librarian on March 11, 2012 Categories: Fiction, Movies, Science Fiction, Staff Pics

Winter Town by Stephen Emond

Winter Town

by Stephen Emond

Evan and Lucy have always been good friends, creating imaginary worlds in their heads, putting them to paper and going on their own adventures. Evan’s life has stayed relatively the same he works hard gets, straight A’s, and spends lots of quality time with his family, but Lucy’s has been tumultuous. After her parents divorced she moved to Georgia, where she had to deal with her mother’s critical and often cruel boyfriends, make new friends and try to deal with all the pain in her life. Lucy returns back to her dad and Evan over winter break and she’s definitely not what Evan remembered. Instead of being her quirky somewhat plain Jane self, she now has black hair, piercings and a scowl. Evan doesn’t know if his old friend is even exists anymore and he doesn’t know how to react to this new version of Lucy. Can Evan see past the outside and take the time to figure out what’s going on inside Lucy? Can two friends who keep changing stay friends? With his engaging storytelling and insightful illustration Stephen Emond helps the reader find the answers is his latest book Winter Town.

By MPPL on March 6, 2012 Categories: High School, Realistic Fiction, Staff Pics

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

Jasper Jones

by Craig Silvey

Charlie had never really spoken to Jasper Jones, the town “troublemaker”, before the night he came to Charlie’s window. He had been looking forward to a lazy summer with his best friend, Jeffrey, but now he is in the middle of a murder mystery. Someone hung the daughter of the shire’s president, and Jasper is sure he will be blamed unless he and Charlie can figure out who did it first. The boys deal with murder, prejudice, incest and first loves. They also get to know each other and themselves much better over the course of this summer. This book takes place in a small Australian town in the 1960s, and while a lot of very serious things happen in the story, it’s also a very funny story. This book had me laughing out loud, quoting it to my friends, on the edge of my seat, and thinking long after I put it down.

Reviewed by Claire, Youth Outreach Coordinator

By MPPL on February 27, 2012 Categories: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Staff Pics