Treasure Hunters by James Patterson - ESSENTIAL

Patterson, James and Chris Grabenstein with Mark Shulman.  Treasure Hunters.  Illustrated by

Juliana Neufeld.  Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: PG (death threats, guns, peril, but everyone is okay). Imagine Diary of A Wimpy Kid, slightly less wimpy and on a sail boat—with a little CIA, pirates, and treasure.  Bick and Beck are twins.  Bick is the storyteller and Beck is the artist.  Their older brother is Tommy, who is very handsome, a great sailor, but not that bright.  Their sister Storm is brilliant, but a little self-conscious because she’s very overweight.  At the beginning of the book their mom is missing and their dad presumably has been swept overboard in a storm.  Determined to stay together on their boat and keep sailing, they continue the family business—treasure hunting.  They meet some shady dealers, evil girls in bikinis, and an old family friend.  Who can they trust?  Are the clues leading them to treasure or to their parents?  A quick, plot driven read that will definitely keep boy’s attention with plenty of action and piratey peril.  The illustrations are frequent and fun in a comic book style.  Great for reluctant readers.

 

EL/MS - ESSENTIAL.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.

October Ogre by Ron Roy -- ADVISABLE

Roy, Ron Calendar Mysteries: October Ogre, 70 pgs. Stepping Stone Books/Random House, 2013. $4.99. Content: PG.

One Halloween night Nate and his friends visit the local hotel, which has been turned into a haunted house. But when Nate realizes that none of the kids who've gone in have come out yet, he fears that the happenings in the hotel may be more than fun and games. In fact, the hotel may just be the site of a real, live haunting. Together the terrified Nate and his friends investigate the mysterious happenings -- an adventure that culminates in a fun surprise ending.

This is a quick, if pretty spooky, mystery for younger kids who don't scare easily. Die-hard fans of detective stories may be annoyed by the fact that the children's sleuthing actually delays solving the mystery. In fact, if the kids had simply done what all the adults suggested instead of investigating, they would have gotten to the solution without much hassle. Still, children who are new to the genre may not notice, and the mystery itself was fun, while the lively illustrations and surprise ending should delight children. Although it is part of a series, it stands alone nicely.

EL (K-3) -- ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Caryn

Ghost Flower by Michelle Jaffe - NO

Jaffe, Michelle Ghost Flower, 358 pages;  Razorbill (Penguin Group) 2012. $9.99 Mature content: PG13, violence PG13.  

On the swears words, I stopped counting at 30 not even half way through the book, and it felt awkward as if the author just wanted to be edgy; no F words however.  A brother and sister think they have lucked out when they find their cousin’s doppelganger.   They plan to set her up as their cousin so she can claim the cousin’s inheritance.  

A twisty, turning mystery, but way too many holes left gaping at the end.  There are sexual undertones and overtones, a non-graphic lesbian relationship, a hint at incest, suicide and murder, and fairly immoral activities passed off casually.  The interest level would be high school, but most high school students would figure it out quickly and then be disappointed.  

NOT RECOMMENDED

The Tell-Tale Start by Gordon McApline - OPTIONAL

McAlpine, Gordon The Misadventures of Edgar and Allen Poe: The Tell-Tale Start, 178 pgs. Viking, 2013. Language - G, Sexual Content - G; Violence - G; 

Edgar and Allen Poe are very unique kids, not just because of their amazing intellect, but because they are identical twins in body and mind. The brothers read each others' minds--which comes in handy when they have to solve a mystery. It also helps that their great-great-great-great-granduncle helps them anyway he can from the other-side. 

The story was cute, and I loved all the puns and references to Edgar Allen Poe, but it wasn't very exciting. Edgar and Allen can do everything without problem or even a second thought. Their only challenge is catching the bad guy, and that is over within a few pages of seeing him. Nothing is a problem because they're super smart, are expert pranksters, have guardians to quick to forgive, and an abnormally smart cat. All these advantages take out any doubt that the boys can succeed, thus leaving their story without the ability to get readers excited about continuing to read it. 

EL - OPTIONAL. Reviewer: CCH

The Vanishing Game (Hardy Boys Adventures #3) by Franklin W. Dixon –OPTIONAL

Dixon, Franklin The Vanishing Game (Hardy Boys Adventures #3) 144 pgs. Aladdin, 2013. $12.19.  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G ;  Violence: G.

Brother Frank and Joe are on a double date, when one of their dates goes missing! Even more mysterious is that it happened during a new ride at the amusement park. The place was close to going under anyway, and this bad event is not helping. The boys were want to help, so they go on the case.

A big fan of Nancy Drew, I was sure I was going to like this, but it wasn't quite there for me. Although the characters are in high school, as well as the dating aspect, and word choices –the novel felt like it was intended for younger grades. The mystery was short and fairly simple. I didn’t find it very interesting. Also the Hardy brothers might as well almost be the same character personality wise, and since they switch viewpoints so often, I ended up pretending they were. If you are looking to replace older Hardy Boys books with these fresh content and more modern covers, this might be your pick.

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

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro - OPTIONAL

Patterson, James and Maxine Paetro Confessions of a Murder Suspect, 372 pgs. Little, Brown and Company, 2012. $19.99.  Content: Language: PG (10 swears; 10 God); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13. 

Tandy comes from a family that excels in everything they do.  They are smart, athletic and emotionally detached, because their parents believe that emotions shouldn’t rule one’s behavior.  So when Tandy’s parents are found poisoned to death, Tandy and her brothers become the suspects.  Tandy attempts to figure out who the murderer is before the police, even if it includes accusing her own family members.  She uncovers family secrets and starts to question who she is, all while investigating her parent’s deaths. 

The cover of this book is fantastic, the title catches the attention of any passer-by, and the big name of James Patterson will even convince some adults to give this young adult read a try.  However, this book is very frustrating.  First, the narrator talks to the reader, and while doing so comes across patronizing.  Second, it felt like the narrator stopped at least fifteen times, just when the story was getting interesting, to say “I can’t talk about that right now” or “I’ll explain that later”.  Which by the way, the narrator didn’t always come back to and answer, leaving a huge hole for the second book to fill.  Third, I didn’t feel like the characters were relatable, they were robotic, which I guess was part of the storyline, but I was waiting for the point when I would care about what happened to any of them-and I didn’t.  All that being said, it’s an interesting story and I found myself wanting to know what happened.  I will probably even read the second book to find out some of the answers to the mysteries that weren’t answered.  Overall, the good doesn’t outweigh the bad. 

MS, HS-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Secret Letters by Leah Scheier -- ADVISABLE

Scheier, Leah Secret Letters, 336 pgs. Hyperion Books, 2012. $16.99. Content: PG.

Growing up in Victorian England, precocious Dora has always felt odd, awkward, and misunderstood. She has an insatiable curiosity and notices details that others would never see. When she discovers that she may be Sherlock Holmes's illegitimate child, it all falls into place. She longs to meet her real father, so when her cousin receives threats from an unknown blackmailer, Dora convinces her that they should go to London to enlist Sherlock Holmes's help. Unfortunately, she arrives only to learn devastating news: Holmes is dead. But when she pairs up with an attractive -- and very smart -- young detective-in-training instead, her cousin's letters are nearly forgotten in the midst of an even bigger mystery -- one that includes kidnapping, coded messages, and maybe even murder.

While I loved the premise of the book, Dora and Peter's frequent shows of intelligence, and whirlwind adventure, it was difficult to be as invested in the story as I would have liked. The writing kept me very distanced, with a lot of telling and summarizing instead of showing, and it was often difficult to get a good handle on the many characters. Still, the mysteries, historical aspect, and hints of romance should find an audience with some students, and the absence of swear words and sexual content were refreshing. While the ending showed strong sequel potential, the main mysteries were adequately tied-up, something I greatly appreciated. MS, HS -- ADVISABLE. Reviewed by: Caryn.

Oblivion by Anthony Horowitz - ESSENTIAL

Horowitz, Anthony Oblivion, 590 p. Scholastic, 2013.  $18.  Violence: PG-13.  

When the gate in Hong Kong disintegrated in the typhoon, The Five were scattered all across the world – just minutes after they had met for the first time.  When they emerge in their various destinations, more than ten years have passed and The Old Ones have had those years to tighten their grip on Earth and prepare to capture The Five.  But the Nexus has also been preparing.  Scott and Pedro have been captured by The Old Ones and one of them will betray all of the others.  Scarlett was shot in the head, but she and Richard were rescued by Nexus.  Matt and Lohan are trying to survive in Brazil with absolutely no resources, even if it means selling Matt as a slave to the highest bidder.  Jamie is completely alone in rural England.  If the Five can find each other in the dream world, maybe they can find the clues they need for a final showdown with Chaos, the King of the Old Ones, even if it is on Chaos’ turf, a specially built fortress he calls Oblivion.  

Fast-paced, never-pausing, heart-pounding adventure. 590 pages of non-stop action is hard to digest and totally worth every word, of course.  I know that five books for the five Gatekeepers is kind of poetic, but I really wish it had been six instead.  

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger –ADVISABLE

Carriger, Gail Etiquette and Espionage 320 pgs. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2013. $11.13.  Content: Language: G (0 swears);  Mature Content: PG ; Violence: G.

Sophronia is not a proper girl, she is always getting into mischief. So her parents send her off to finishing school, where she is to become a real lady. But her parents didn't know the whole story –this finishing school teaches all the right skills plus a healthy dose of espionage and defense. Right from the start Sophronia's new education is full intrigue!

This was a great Steampunk book! The concept was fresh and fun, the plot was lively and interesting. My only complaint is that I never really got attached to the main character, she isn't well developed and the narrator places us one step further back from her. Fortunately the plot is so intriguing that it carried me through. Students will love this book!! 

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

Money Run by Jack Heath - ADVISABLE

Heath, Jack Money Run, 245 pgs. Scholastic Press, 2013. Language - PG (45 swears, 0 "f"), Mature Content - G; Violence - PG; 

Ash and Benjamin are good at what they do: thieving. Peachey is good at what he does: killing people. Buckland is good at what he does: making money. Bring everyone into the same building and something extraordinary is about to happen. The only question is: who will end up successful? 

As soon as I started Money Run I knew I would be unable to put it down until I reached the back cover. There is enough action tied in with a bit of mystery that there is never a lull in the excitement. Yet, somehow, Heath still manages to make the story seem like it's possible! The only thing that could compare to this epic story would be if it were turned into a movie. 

MS, HS - ADVISABLE. Reviewer: CCH

The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee - OPTIONAL

Lee, Y.S. The Traitor in the Tunnel (Agency #3), 373 p. Candlewick, 2012.  $17.  Language: PG (3+ swears).  

Mary Quinn has been sent to Buckingham Palace to root out a thief.  But when the Prince of Wales witnesses a murder in an opium den, her job becomes much larger – and touches upon Mary’s own past.  While fending off the Prince, Mary must solve two different mysteries and foil a plot to kill the Queen.  

I do love books that give vivid descriptions of historic time periods and Lee is spot on.  She dishes up a great mystery and a  little romance into a tidy package.  I wish more students were drawn to this kind of book.  

MS, HS – OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

The Girl is Trouble (Book 2) by Kathryn Miller Haines –ADVISABLE

Haines, Kathryn Miller The Girl is Trouble (Book 2)  160 pgs. Simon Spotlight, 2012. $10.98.  (Rating: PG)

Iris is finally getting to help her Pop out with his investigations! She has a case of her own –the Jewish students at her school are being harassed. When some photo’s of her mother’s dead body stir up her questions about her death, Iris has another case to solve. Things seem to be pretty bad when she suspects her best friend, Pearl in the first mystery, and her Uncle Adam in the second. Complicating matters is her crush on rebel Benny and her Pop’s dangerous investigation.

I am LOVING this series! (see my review of  Book#1 in thisseries: The Girl is Murder). I love the historical setting (1950ish), and the characters are memorable and fun. The plots are interested and complex without being confusing. Students will have a great time following Iris’s investigations!

MS, HS -ADVISABLE Reviewer: Stephanie MLS graduate & Author.

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart - ADVISABLE

Stewart, Trenton Lee.  The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict, 470 pages.  Little, Brown and Company (Hachette Book Group), 2012.  $17.99.  Language: G; Sexual Content: G; Violence: G.  Before he brought four kids together to help save the world, Nicholas Benedict was just a nine year-old genius...with narcolepsy.  In this prequel, the reader finds Nicholas at a train station, about to meet the director of the new orphanage he is about to go to.  At this new place, he has to deal with bullies, peers who are too afraid to stand up to the bullies (so they ignore Nicholas), and adults who are, well, idiots.  But it is also at this new orphanage where he learns about a mystery that just might change his life.  And as a genius, he sets out to solve it and get free of the oppressive life he lives in.  I really enjoyed the book.  So many books out today are heavy on action and light on everything else.  The Mysterious Benedict Society trilogy is written at a higher level and it is not just one crazy situation after another (don't get me wrong, I love those books, but it's also nice to have to think some too).  This book has great back story about Nicholas Benedict, but it does not need to be read in conjunction with the other titles.  This one stands alone perfectly.    The only reason why I am not marking it as essential is because there were times that I missed having the four main characters of the trilogy.  I especially missed Kate and Constance more than anything.  While Nicholas does become friends with other children, he is still mostly alone, and I think it makes the book lose a little of the charm of the first three.  Still I loved the ending and I am happy to own this book.  There are some good potential lessons on how to deal with bullies.  It's a sweet book.  EL, MS - ADVISABLE.  Brent Smith, Reading Teacher

The Bloomswell Diaries by Louis L Buitendag –OPTIONAL

Buitendage, Louis L The Bloomswell Diaries 258pgs. Kane/Miller Book Publishers 2011. $11.97. (Language-G Violence-G; Sexual Content-G).
When Ben’s parents leave him with his uncle in American, he finds himself in trouble. After both his parents and his uncle are reported dead, Ben is practically kidnapped to a school for boys. With some help he escapes to a ship, crosses back over to England, and attempts to track down his sister. There is also the added component of robotic ‘tinmen’.
This book feels very dated which heavily detracts from the story. It should have either been more period, more modern, or even more steampunk. Ben is very childish, and his story is actually kind of confusing. For example there a lot of character code names –due to the ‘mystery’ aspect of the story. So there are two Mr. Purchase's and a Mr. Buyer, and The Collector. All of which would sound like almost the same thing to a young student. I also think students will find that Ben’s lack of ingenuity and his excess of outside/coincidental help– make the plot seem too far-fetched and even fake.
Elementary – OPTIONAL
Reviewer: Stephanie MLS graduate & Author.