Prisoner 88 by Leah Pileggi ADVISABLE

Pileggi, Leah Prisoner 88, 142 pgs. 2013. Charlesbridge Publishing; $16.95. Language: PG (5 swears no Fs); Violence: PG; Mature Content: G.  

In 1885 Idaho, 10-year-old Jake has been sentenced to prison for killing a man.  Although the prison is over-crowded, Jake has a small cell to himself, but he is not safe from the violence and hardships that are part of prison life.  

Based on a real life prisoner, Pileggi captures the child’s perspective as she tells the story through Jake’s voice.  A little violent (fighting and animal death) and mild swearing, this would be a nice addition to either the Elementary or Middle School library.  

EL MS ADVISABLE Lisa Librarian

P.K. Pinkerton and the Petrified Man by Caroline Lawrence - ADVISABLE

Lawrence, Caroline P.K. Pinkerton and the Petrified Man, 306 pgs, G.P. Putnam’s Sons 2012. $16.99. Language: PG (edited and misspelled swears) Mature Content: PG; Violence PG.

12-year-old P.K. Pinkerton - Master of Disguise, has vanquished the Desperados in the first book and has now set up business as a Private Detective in Virginia City, Nevada - 1862.  His first real client has witnessed a murder and fears for her life! Can “Pinky” solve the case before he kills again? 

This second book in the series stands easily on its own.  The old west feel is still there; gunfights, saloons, jail and a deputy marshall.  The seedier aspects of the western experience are told through the voice of our 12-year-old, so Lawrence is able to maintain the grit of a western while maintaining appeal for a younger audience.   EL, MS ADVISABLE  Lisa Librarian

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake –OPTIONAL

Timberlake, Amy One Came Home 272 pgs. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013. $11.55.  Content: Language: G (0 swears);  Mature Content: G ;  Violence: PG13.

Set in the late 1800’s in a small frontier town, Georgie and her older sister Agatha are best friends. After a group of Pigeoners comes to town, following the gigantic flock of pigeons, Agatha goes missing. Georgie knows Agatha is a free spirit, but when no letters arrive and a body is found, Georgie is determined to prove everyone wrong.

I just didn’t bond with Georgie. The name Agatha is said SO many times, that I couldn’t for the life of me remember our heroine’s name! The story was fairly slow moving, and overly suffused with information about Agatha and pigeons. I found myself feeling pretty ambivalent about the outcome. It’s my opinion that between the pace and the pigeons, students will give up on this book quickly.

Elementary, MS- OPTIONAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.