Susan Stutzman

Answering 911: Life in the Hot Seat by Caroline Bureau

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : I want to save lives, but I’m willing to settle for just not killing anybody,” confides this suburban Minneapolis author about being a rookie 911 dispatch operator . In simple prose that is often crass and amateurish, Burau recounts moments of terror and incompetence among her colleagues: one dispatcher plays computer games while listening to a suicidal caller ; others send medics to the wrong address while an acid-burn victim suffers. Cynical and bitter after two years on the job, Burau has harsh words for callers who report cell phones stolen from unlocked cars; a “frequent flyer” (someone “always in crisis”) who wants the police to baby-sit her kids; and a woman whose grisly trailer-home suicide is relayed by her hysterical 12-year-old daughter. Recalling her abortive attempts as nursing student, reporter for a community paper and locksmith and, in sordid detail, her addiction to crack and an abusive boyfriend, Burau has been in recovery for 11 years and has married and adopted a stepdaughter she adores but worries about failing. Although this clearly isn’t her intention, Burau’s honest memoir of the 911 trenches will make readers queasy about the quality of emergency service personnel in their own communities.

 

 

Blood in the Cage: Mixed Martial Arts, Pat Miletich, and the Furious Rise of the UFC Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had to by L. Jon Wertheim

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : In his latest page-turning sports tour, Sports Illustrated senior writer Wertheim (Running the Table, Venus Envy) tackles mixed marital arts (MMA), a one-on-one bare-fist brawl that combines kickboxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and basically any other fighting technique an athlete chooses (minimal rules include no kidney-kicking and no sticking fingers in orifices or wounds). Chronicling the life of MMA legend Pat Miletich (the sport’s Abner Doubleday), Wertheim also traces the history of the ultraviolent contest, dissects the league that dominates it (Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Champion) and examines the appeal (and the stigma) that’s taken it from Internet subculture to pay-per-view king to $500 million commercial powerhouse. Miletich entered the sport in the early 1990s, when it was a no-holds-barred free-for-all (referred to by Sen. John McCain as “human cockfighting”), and wound up a five-time UFC champion; now, he operates an MMA training facility in Bettendorf, Iowa that draws athletes from around the world. A winning writer, Wertheim introduces a colorful, mostly likable cast of fighters, promoters, trainers and executives, brings an unflinching eye to fight scenes (the opening beat-down will certainly grab readers’ attention) and defends the sport just as well as he questions its less-savory operating tactics.

 

 

Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team by Wayne Coffey

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : In this well-written and thoroughly researched story of the 1980 Olympic gold-medal winning hockey team, New York Daily News sportswriter Coffey does much more than simply evoke memories. Expertly using coach Herb Brooks (who died last year in an auto accident) as his focal point, Coffey shows how Brooks, a devoted student of the game, used both psychological tactics and a groundbreaking system predicated on speed and constant motion to defeat the Soviets, a team of highly trained, older and bigger professionals who had dominated the international competition for decades. Over the years, this story of the Americans’ victory has become larger than life, replete with drama and drenched in patriotic themes. Coffey’s greatest achievement is that his narrative never sinks into melodrama. He captures the rigorous training and the thrill of the games, yet digs deeper, soberly rendering the tenor of the American spirit amid the Iranian hostage crisis and the Cold War, and humanizing and illuminating (rather than caricaturing) the Russian side. For example, although the Russians were a world superpower, they scrounged for Band-Aids and didn’t use slap shots because a shortage of quality sticks meant they couldn’t risk breaking them—details suggesting the underlying faults of the Soviet regime. Coffey portrays the American side, a diverse collection of amateurs, warts and all, and gives special attention to Brooks, an enigmatic figure who turned a bunch of regional rivals into a tight-knit family whose bond still exists today. Filled with primary interviews and exceptional insight, Coffey’s effort should delight more than just hockey fans.

 

 

Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year by Esme Raji Codell

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : Portions of Codell’s diary of her experiences as a first-year teacher in a Chicago inner-city elementary school were first aired on WBEZ radio, in that city, as part of its Life Stories series. Subsequently rounded out into a book, the material still comes across like it’s meant to be read aloud. Codell’s voice carries the enthusiasm thatAas a 24-year-old hardcore idealistAshe brought to her difficult job. Hired for a brand-new school, she tells how she let her “na?vet?” work to her own advantage. She invented ways to engage her troubled, sometimes hostile students, relying on jerry-rigged visual aids, group craft projects, role-reversing skits and the like. Villains appear as well, such as her evil principal, Mr. Turner, a “homophobic, backward idiot.” Codell throws herself into the reading, imitating her kids’ voices, sounding truly exasperated at each obstacle she faces.

 

 

 

 

 

Full Burn: On the Set, at the Bar, Behind the Wheel, and Over the Edge with Hollywood Stuntmen by Kevin Conley

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : In this brisk and entertaining look at Hollywood stuntmen, Conley (Stud: Adventures in Breeding) offers a close look at a daredevil community. Describing the physical skills, exacting preparation, and cinematic challenges, Conley, like his subjects, makes even the glass-smashing, metal-crushing car chases in the Bourne movies (starring Matt Damon) seem easy, as if avoiding certain harm were only a matter of craft and timing. From chapter to engaging chapter, Conley blends film history with his subjects’ realistic assessments of athleticism, sexism, death and technological innovations of the mechanical and computerized kind. The most memorable (and humorous) exchanges come, though, from the stuntmen themselves: the seasoned pro who confesses his biggest enemies to be “gravity and blonds” and a stuntwoman who endures a wardrobe malfunction while filming the ’70s-era TV series Wonder Woman. In fact, Conley develops such an impressive camaraderie, access and feel for the stunt world that his newfound friends prep him to set himself aflame in an attempt to do “the full burn,” the stunt that gives the book its title.

 

 

God Grew Tired of Us: A Memoir by John Bul Dau

Reviewed in Booklist : Just 13 in 1987 when he was driven from his village and separated from his family in the raging civil war in southern Sudan, John Bul Dau spent years in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, until in 2001 he came to the U.S. as one of 4,000 Lost Boys of Sudan. His memoir is the subject of a new, award-winning documentary film. Like Deng’s They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky (2005), this is a stark, first-person account of trauma and survival. Dau tells it quietly, in fast, simple prose true to the young teen’s viewpoint. He’s funny about the culture shock in America and honest about his years in the camp, even the fact that, trauma notwithstanding, he liked being tabbed as a leader. Although appreciative of this country and the chance for work and college, he never denies his connections to Africa. Unforgettable photos document his reunion–after 19 years–with family he did not know were alive. Hazel Rochman

 

 

 

Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll’s History and Her Impact on Us by Tanya Lee Stone

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : On the heels of Barbie’s 50th anniversary in 2009, Stone (Almost Astronauts) delivers a cultural-history-as-biography of Barbie, “arguably the most famous doll in the world.” Really two biographies in one, the book explores the lives of both the doll and her inventor, “self proclaimed tomboy” Ruth Handler. The daughter of Polish immigrants, Handler helped found Mattel, and Barbie’s 1959 introduction wasn’t far behind. Stone discusses Barbie’s cultural relevance at length, from her numerous careers and the many races and nationalities she’s represented to debates about her effect on girls’ body image and even her resonance in the art world. Meg Cabot, who contributes a foreword, makes it clear what side she’s on: “How Barbie looked was never the issue…. hat she taught us was that, like Barbie, we could be anything we wanted to be.” Filled with photographs of Barbie dolls past and present as well as quotes about her from nationally known figures and children alike, Stone’s fascinating and balanced account reveals a toy of almost unmatched influence.

 

 

 

Journals by Kurt Cobain

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : These journal entries by Nirvana front man Cobain record his thoughts from the late 1980s until his suicide in 1994. There are no real answers to his death to be found in this collection of scrawled notes, first drafts of letters, shopping lists, and ballpoint pen drawings, although the nature of Cobain’s fame will make it hard for readers not to look for them. At best, a series of intimate portraits emerge: a kid from high school; a cousin and neighbor; a bright, sensitive, fun-loving and morbid punk rocker who became spokesman for a generation he largely detested. Cobain’s journals remind fans of how unlikely was his rise to fame: here was a kid from Aberdeen, dreaming of being in the next Meat Puppets, not the next Doors, who signed on with an independent label named SupPop, and ended up changing the course of commercial radio. Cobain’s early letters to fellow rockers in the grunge scene also remind readers of how small and close that community was, and of the fairly incendiary politics it had developed through the Reagan years. For a true punk believer like Cobain, the loss of that community was also the loss of himself.

 

 

 

Miss American Pie: A Diary of Love, Secrets, and Growing Up in the 1970s by Margaret Sartor

Reviewed in KLIATT : The diaries of Margaret Sartor, written in the 1970s South, which cover her time in high school, could have been written by many a teenage girl then in their universality of subjects: parents, school, friends, boyfriends, love, faith, sex. But her diaries are also unique to her own circumstances. From a distance, nothing remarkable happens except the remarkable process of maturing. Margaret tells of growing up in Monroe, Louisiana with two older sisters, a younger brother, and a surprise sister born to her parents in their 40s (to her great embarrassment). She is embroiled in small town life, church camps, and the ever-present and extremely important school. Margaret writes of the milestones of teenage life, such as her driver’s permit at 14, the loss of pets, her first kisses, success and failures in school academics and social life. She also relates how major historical events and trends, such as desegregation, changing family roles, and drugs, impacted her life. While she looks like the Miss American Pie of the song, she is not perfect, nor is her family, and today’s YAs will be able to relate to her. Some may be shocked that they did not invent sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll in this century, but all will be thrilled to read how the main players’ lives in Sartor’s story turned out. Reviewer: Nola Theiss

 

 

 

Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp Who Would Be Human by Elizabeth Hess

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : In what is surely one of the most memorable and intelligent recent books about animal-human interaction, Hess (Lost and Found: Dogs, Cats and Everyday Heroes at a Country Animal Shelter) tells the story of Nim Chimpsky, who in the 1970s was the subject of an experiment begun at the University of Oklahoma to find out whether a chimp could learn American Sign Language-and thus refute Noam Chomsky’s influential thesis that language is inherent only in humans. Nim was sent to live with a family in New York City and taught human language like any other child. Hess sympathetically yet unerringly details both the project’s successes and failures, its heroes and villains, as she recounts Nim’s odyssey from the Manhattan town house to a mansion in the Bronx and finally back to Oklahoma, where he was bounced among various facilities as financial, personal and scientific troubles plagued the study. The book expertly shows why the Nim experiment was a crucial event in animal studies, but more importantly, Hess captures Nim’s “legendary charm, mischievous sense of humor, and keen understanding of human beings.” This may well be the only book on linguistics and primatology that will leave its readers in tears over the life and times of its amazing subject.

 

 

 

Ripped: How the Wired Generation Revolutionized Music by Greg Kot

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : In what has become a growing field, Kot’s account of the music industry’s massive struggles and glimmers of success in the digital age stands out for its sturdily constructed prose and command of up-to-date facts. The narrative moves chronologically from the late 1990s to the late 2000s, pivoting deftly from such subjects as the havoc deregulation wreaked on mainstream radio, the recording industry’s attempted shock and awe–style crackdown on downloading and the recent pay-what-you-want online selling model pioneered by Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails. One of Kot’s great strengths is that he is an able and passionate chronicler of the independent labels, musicians and critics whose rise in influence has been the definite upside of the old power structure’s collapse. Kot gives us the first essential, critical account of the ever-expanding reach of the indie music Web site Pitchfork Media, a well informed analysis of the history and recent hyperdevelopment of sample-based music and self-contained portraits of new model artists such as Arcade Fire and Bright Eyes. The book thankfully avoids the technology and industry gossip possibilities inherent in the subject and instead focuses on the sometimes unexpectedly wonderful mutations in the way that musicians and listeners think about popular music.

 

 

 

Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : Hamilton, a 14-year-old aspiring professional surfer from Kauai, Hawaii, made headlines last fall after she lost her arm in a shark attack. With the help of writer Berk and Bundschuh, a pastor whom the teen calls her “spiritual advisor,” the teen offers an upbeat and candid-if somewhat meandering-chronicle of her life. She opens with the shark attack, then fills in details before and after this tragic incident, giving priority to the topics pinpointed in the book’s subtitle. Her fervent faith surfaces often in her account: her church youth group figures prominently in her life, she prays before each surfing competition, she states that “Being tight with God is even more important to me than surfing” and, in discussing “God’s plan” for her, states, “if I can help other people find hope in God, then that is worth losing my arm for.” Hamilton offers copious background information about her close-knit family and her passion for surfing, as well as expressions of gratitude for the post-attack outpouring of support and donations from friends and strangers. Despite her narrative’s sometimes overly zealous inspirational overtones, Hamilton’s optimism, determination and resilience (she climbed back on her surfboard within a month of the attack) are undeniably impressive and uplifting and may well reassure teens dealing with distressing or life-altering events.

 

 

 

Working Fire: The Making of a Fireman by Zac Unger

Reviewed in Publishers Weekly : Expanding on a Slate diary he wrote in 2001, Unger delivers a crisply written, somewhat gripping narrative of a rookie’s life in the Oakland Fire Department. If the firefighter’s memoir has lately become a new genre, this is a solid introduction from a complete outsider who ably describes the journey to grizzled insider. When Unger, an Ivy League grad and eager outdoorsman, answered a job ad he saw at an Oakland bus stop, he had little inkling that he’d found his vocation. Firefighting was a job he knew little about, and applying seemed a lark (he writes that he couldn’t imagine being the first person in his family not to get a Master’s degree). But he was accepted into the training program, and it wasn’t until he found himself among dozens of other recruits outside “the tower” (the department’s training facility) that he realized he might be on his way to becoming a fireman. What follows is a journey through both the minutiae and adventure of a rookie firefighter’s life, from the complex ritual of dinner at the firehouse and the letdown of false alarms to the danger and heat of a real fire. A readable account of Unger’s first years on the job, the book is occasionally repetitive and meandering. Still, Unger’s self-deprecation is endearing, as when he writes, “Whoever said that a man in uniform always looks good hasn’t spent much time looking at me.”

 

 

 

High School’s Not Forever by Jane Bluestein

Reviewed in School Library Journal : Many teens find their high school years to be trying, angst ridden, and downright rotten. Culled from the responses of some 2000 high and post-high school students, this title gives voice to young people who have lived through the experience and who offer both affirming and cautionary tales as they attempted to navigate the uncertain seas of friendship, depression, academic achievement, drugs, and sexuality. Of all the observations contained in this unusual book, there has to be at least one that will resonate with readers. No one commentary is more than a page. In addition, there are advice sections and an entire listing of organizations that can provide help with problems. There is no question that this book will enhance most YA collections.-Carol Jones Collins

 

 

 

 

 

Nobody Likes You: Inside the Turbulent Life, Times, and Music of Green Day by Marc Spitz

Reviewed in Booklist : After years of failing to duplicate its album Dookie’s success, punk-rocking Green Day seemed dead in the water. An undercurrent of critical disdain had always held that the band purveyed punk lite and was an aggregation of poseurs compared to legendary punk outfits the Clash and the Ramones. Then the group’s eighth album, American Idiot, hit the top of the charts in 2004 and stayed there, catapulting Green Day back into public attention. Spitz, a senior writer for Spin, sympathetically limns the arc of the lads’ career from East Bay, California, in informative if unchallenging style. Probably headed for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame because of their commercial success playing punk, a subgenre that has rarely exerted mass commercial appeal, Green Day deserves representation in rockin’ library collections.^
–Mike Tribby

 

 

 

 

With Their Eyes: September 11th: The View from a High School at Ground Zero by Annie Thoms

Reviewed in Booklist : “The speakers reveal their emotions with a painful honesty that’s profound, and the startling immediacy of the words gives these pieces even more impact. An obvious choice for reader’s theater and for use across the curriculum; its deeply affecting contents will also make compelling personal-interest reading.”

Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy

As reviewed in Kirkus:  A gracefully written account of one woman’s physical and spiritual struggle to surmount childhood cancer, permanent disfigurement, and, ultimately, “the deep bottomless grief…called ugliness.” After surviving relentless medical horrors–the removal at age nine of half her jaw due to Ewing Sarcoma, two and a half years of chemotherapy, and two years of reconstructive surgery–Grealy’s true battle begins when she looks in the mirror and finds herself trapped behind a face, in a “self” that she hates, and for which her peers cruelly punish her. Once a buoyant, sociable tomboy, Grealy, through her suffering, becomes isolated–finding human comfort mainly among the patients she meets in her numerous hospital stays. She writes, “I felt as if my illness were a blanket the world had thrown over me…. And somehow I transformed that blanket into a tent, beneath which I almost happily set up camp.” Still a young girl, she must cope not only with her own fear but with the awkwardly expressed fears of her parents as well. Eventually, as she grows up, she finds solace and inspiration in the company of horses and other animals, and as a young adult, she cultivates an enriching inner life through reading, and later writing. Now an award-winning poet and essayist (a short version of her tale originally appeared in Harper’s and received a National Magazine Award), Grealy’s tale ends not with magical deliverance, but with hard-won self-acceptance. Nearly two decades and 30 surgical procedures later, Grealy finally stops waiting for her life to begin and comes to terms with her face–her “self.” An unsentimental, honest, unflinching look at a single visage reflected (or distorted) in an unforgiving cultural mirror. A strong debut.

Bad Boy: A Memoir by Walter Dean Myers 

As reviewed in School Library Journal:  This superb memoir begins simply with an account of Myers’s family history and his boyhood. Vivid detail makes the Harlem of the ’40s come alive, from the music and children’s games to the everyday struggle for survival. As Myers grows older, however, his story also grows in complexity. Soon readers are caught up in his turbulent adolescence and his slow, painful development as a writer. Even while performing poorly in school, the teen endlessly devoured great works of literature, often in secret. He also wrote, sometimes quitting out of discouragement but always beginning again. Eventually he attended school less and less often, sometimes fighting roaming gang members or delivering “packages” for drug dealers. After dropping out of high school, he enlisted in the army. Sadness and bewilderment infuse these last chapters as Myers faces a bleak future. Intellectually, he’s left his family and friends far behind, but his race and circumstances seem to give him few choices. After years of menial jobs, Myers remembered a teacher’s advice-”Whatever you do, don’t stop writing”-and in time his persistence paid off. This memoir is never preachy; instead, it is a story full of funny anecdotes, lofty ideals, and tender moments. The author’s growing awareness of racism and of his own identity as a black man make up one of the most interesting threads. Young writers will find inspiration here, while others may read the book as a straightforward account of a colorful, unforgettable childhood. Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library

Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World by Michael Lewis

As reviewed in Library Journal:  The cheap credit available from 2002 to 2008 radically transformed societies worldwide, with Icelanders tossing aside their fishing gear to become bankers, for instance. Then the crunch came, and many of these societies are stumbling about as part of the “new Third World.” As a greedy debtor nation, we’re not so far behind. Lewis’s books are always excellent and always best sellers, so this should be at the top of your list.

Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President by Ron Suskind

As reviewed in Library Journal:  How did the Obama administration handle the financial crisis? Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Suskind, whose books routinely appear near the top of the New York Times best sellers list, put in hundreds of hours interviewing administration figures (and the President himself) to discover how the battle between Washington and Wall Street played out.

Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink

As reviewed in Publishers Weekly:  According to Pink (A Whole New Mind), everything we think we know about what motivates us is wrong. He pits the latest scientific discoveries about the mind against the outmoded wisdom that claims people can only be motivated by the hope of gain and the fear of loss. Pink cites a dizzying number of studies revealing that carrot and stick can actually significantly reduce the ability of workers to produce creative solutions to problems. What motivates us once our basic survival needs are met is the ability to grow and develop, to realize our fullest potential. Case studies of Google’s 20 percent time (in which employees work on projects of their choosing one full day each week) and Best Buy’s Results Only Work Environment (in which employees can work whenever and however they choose—as long as they meet specific goals) demonstrate growing endorsement for this approach. A series of appendixes include further reading and tips on applying this method to businesses, fitness and child-rearing. Drawing on research in psychology, economics and sociology, Pink’s analysis—and new model—of motivation offers tremendous insight into our deepest nature.

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison

As reviewed in Publishers Weekly:  Robison’s thoughtful and thoroughly memorable account of living with Asperger’s syndrome is assured of media attention (and sales) due in part to his brother Augusten Burroughs’s brief but fascinating description of Robison in Running with Scissors. But Robison’s story is much more fully detailed in this moving memoir, beginning with his painful childhood, his abusive alcoholic father and his mentally disturbed mother. Robison describes how from nursery school on he could not communicate effectively with others, something his brain is not wired to do, since kids with Asperger’s don’t recognize common social cues and body language or facial expressions. Failing in junior high, Robison was encouraged by some audiovisual teachers to fix their broken equipment, and he discovered a more comfortable world of machines and circuits, of muted colors, soft light, and mechanical perfection. This led to jobs (and many hilarious events) in worlds where strange behavior is seen as normal: developing intricate rocket-shooting guitars for the rock band Kiss and computerized toys for the Milton Bradley company. Finally, at age 40, while Robison was running a successful business repairing high-end cars, a therapist correctly diagnosed him as having Asperger’s. In the end, Robison succeeds in his goal of helping those who are struggling to grow up or live with Asperger’s to see how it is not a disease but a way of being that needs no cure except understanding and encouragement from others.

Mao’s Last Dancer by Li Cunxin

As reviewed in School Library Journal:  Grade 6–9—In 1961, just three years after Mao’s disastrous Great Leap Forward, Li Cunxin was born, the sixth son in a family of Chinese peasants who eked out a meager existence on a rural commune. During his childhood he endured unimaginable poverty and hardships and witnessed the shooting of 15 “counter-revolutionaries” by Mao’s Red Guards. When chosen to audition for Madame Mao’s Beijing Ballet Academy at age 11, ballet became his chance for a good job and enough food for life. Many years of training, two U.S. trips, one premature marriage, and a defection later, Li joined the Houston Ballet as a principal dancer, paving his way to international fame. Although told in a rather bland style—mostly in basic declarative sentences—the information about the country at this time and the danger and angst that accompanied the dancer’s decision to defect will be of interest to teens. This Young Reader’s Edition of the adult book (Putnam, 2004) gives a much fuller portrait than the author’s picture-book version, Dancing to Freedom (Walker, 2008). The black-and-white photos, the abbreviated history, and time line will help students place Li’s life story into historical context. With the current interest in all things Chinese, and with the immigration debate in full swing, this is a good choice, both to promote an understanding of Chinese culture and to provoke a discussion about the issues facing today’s immigrants.—Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan

Needles: A Memoir of Growing Up With Diabetes by Andie Dominick

As reviewed in School Library Journal:  The story of one family’s experience coping with disease. Andie knew all about needles because her older sister Denise was diabetic and she used them daily for insulin shots. As young children, Andie and her brother picked the used ones out of the trash and played with them. Then, when the author was nine, she herself was diagnosed as diabetic and the games were over. Needles became the instruments she needed to manage her life, literally and figuratively. She learned what powerful instruments they could be when, at 21, she found her sister dead as a result of neglect and self-abuse. The story is not a pretty one, but it does illustrate the control one has over some of life’s seemingly uncontrollable situations. This fact is important for teens to learn and understand. Dominick, who was about 26-years-old when she wrote this book, relates her experience in a way that will appeal to young adults.–Pamela B. Rearden

Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market by Eric Schlosser

As reviewed in Booklist:  Schlosser is the author of the best-selling Fast Food Nation (2001), which was a consciousness-raising examination of the fast-food industry. He now turns his reporting acumen to American underground economic activity, which, according to him, constitutes 9 to 10 percent of this country’s economy–in other words, millions and millions of dollars that “cannot be accounted for.” The black market in the U.S. “is where economic activities remain off the books, where they are unrecorded, unreported, and in violation of the law.” The author focuses on three major black-market arenas: marijuana, the most widely used illegal drug in the U.S.; migrant workers in California, most of them illegal immigrants; and the pornography industry. Of course, woven into his account of this trio of black-market gold mines is also an examination of their effect on all of us, for the consequences are far reaching, from employing a child-care worker to downloading pornography off the Internet. His careful research and equally careful writing style contribute to a study that is certain to garner as much attention as his previous book. Brad Hooper

Sickened: The True Story of a Lost Childhood by Julie Gregory

As reviewed in Kirkus:  A painful but wonderfully written memoir that should create greater awareness of a bizarre disorder… Keen self-awareness, a sharp eye for details, and an original, poetic voice.

That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back by Thomas L. Friedman

As reviewed in Publishers Weekly:  Reflecting on America’s past greatness and its slipping position among global powers, Pulitzer-Prize winning New York Times columnist Friedman (The World is Flat) and foreign policy expert Mandelbaum (The Frugal Superpower) warn against the United States’ “dangerous complacency” in the face of increasingly complex global challenges. They repeat a question first posed by Bill Gates (“What was all that good stuff we had that other people copied?”) and prescribe a set of sensible government practices for prosperity: invest in public education and infrastructure, foster immigration and scientific research, and set up effective financial regulation. The rapid upheaval of the Arab Spring exemplifies the dynamism of today’s intertwined world (“Flat World 2.0″), where ideas and innovation—not goods or skills—are an individual or country’s top economic commodities. American workers must approach the global marketplace with creativity in order to remain globally competitive. To that end, they also support reigning in the national debt and committing to the use of alternative energy sources. Broad ranging in its anecdotes and research, conversational (if pedantic) in its tone, and hopeful in its patriotism, they look the challenges of the 21st century squarely in the eye.

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee

As reviewed in Publishers Weekly:  Mukherjee’s debut book is a sweeping epic of obsession, brilliant researchers, dramatic new treatments, euphoric success and tragic failure, and the relentless battle by scientists and patients alike against an equally relentless, wily, and elusive enemy. From the first chemotherapy developed from textile dyes to the possibilities emerging from our understanding of cancer cells, Mukherjee shapes a massive amount of history into a coherent story with a roller-coaster trajectory: the discovery of a new treatment–surgery, radiation, chemotherapy–followed by the notion that if a little is good, more must be better, ending in disfiguring radical mastectomy and multidrug chemo so toxic the treatment ended up being almost worse than the disease. The first part of the book is driven by the obsession of Sidney Farber and philanthropist Mary Lasker to find a unitary cure for all cancers. (Farber developed the first successful chemotherapy for childhood leukemia.) The last and most exciting part is driven by the race of brilliant, maverick scientists to understand how cells become cancerous. Each new discovery was small, but as Mukherjee, a Columbia professor of medicine, writes, “Incremental advances can add up to transformative changes.” Mukherjee’s formidable intelligence and compassion produce a stunning account of the effort to disrobe the “emperor of maladies.”

The End of Food by Paul Roberts

As reviewed in Kirkus:  From Harper’s contributor Roberts (The End of Oil, 2004), another dire warning of hard times ahead. This time the author scrutinizes the modern food system, examining its history from prehistoric big-game hunting through the rise of industrialized food production to the retail revolution in which large grocery companies control the supply chain. The result, he asserts, is a low-cost, high-volume model that has reduced the nutritional value of processed food and increased such health problems as obesity and diabetes; it offers superabundance to a few while millions of others go hungry. Roberts argues that the present system is critically vulnerable not only to escalating energy costs and declining supplies of land and water but to the threats of climate change, soil contamination and food-borne diseases. He paints a horrific picture of how all these factors could come together in what he calls ” a perfect storm of sequential or even simultaneous food-related calamities” that begins with wheat rust in Uganda and cascades into a global crisis involving droughts, floods, unemployment, mass migrations and a deadly epidemic. To understand how the system operates, the author visited food giant Nestle in Switzerland, a meat-packing plant in France, an agricultural fair in China’s Shandong Province and an Albertsons market in Washington state, among other sites, and he consulted with politicians and scientists involved in protecting and expanding the food supply. In his search for solutions, Roberts examines genetically modified foods, organic and integrated polyculture farming, aquaculture and the growing locavore movement (“eat food grown locally”), all of which hold promise but none of which has all the answers. The key to change, he declares, lies with an informed and activist public, which is precisely what his book aims to create and energize. A revealing, deeply dismaying overview of how the world’s food is produced and marketed. ((As reviewed in Kirkus): Reviews, Agent: Heather Schroder/ICM )

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls

As reviewed in Publishers Weekly:  Starred Review. Freelance writer Walls doesn’t pull her punches. She opens her memoir by describing looking out the window of her taxi, wondering if she’s “overdressed for the evening” and spotting her mother on the sidewalk, “rooting through a Dumpster.” Walls’s parents—just two of the unforgettable characters in this excellent, unusual book—were a matched pair of eccentrics, and raising four children didn’t conventionalize either of them. Her father was a self-taught man, a would-be inventor who could stay longer at a poker table than at most jobs and had “a little bit of a drinking situation,” as her mother put it. With a fantastic storytelling knack, Walls describes her artist mom’s great gift for rationalizing. Apartment walls so thin they heard all their neighbors? What a bonus—they’d “pick up a little Spanish without even studying.” Why feed their pets? They’d be helping them “by not allowing them to become dependent.” While Walls’s father’s version of Christmas presents—walking each child into the Arizona desert at night and letting each one claim a star—was delightful, he wasn’t so dear when he stole the kids’ hard-earned savings to go on a bender. The Walls children learned to support themselves, eating out of trashcans at school or painting their skin so the holes in their pants didn’t show. Buck-toothed Jeannette even tried making her own braces when she heard what orthodontia cost. One by one, each child escaped to New York City. Still, it wasn’t long before their parents appeared on their doorsteps. “Why not?” Mom said. “Being homeless is an adventure.”

The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore

As reviewed in Publishers Weekly:  Two hauntingly similar boys take starkly different paths in this searing tale of the ghetto. Moore, an investment banker, Rhodes scholar, and former aide to Condoleezza Rice, was intrigued when he learned that another Wes Moore, his age and from the same area of Greater Baltimore, was wanted for killing a cop. Meeting his double and delving into his life reveals deeper likenesses: raised in fatherless families and poor black neighborhoods, both felt the lure of the money and status to be gained from dealing drugs. That the author resisted the criminal underworld while the other Wes drifted into it is chalked up less to character than to the influence of relatives, mentors, and expectations that pushed against his own delinquent impulses, to the point of exiling him to military school. Moore writes with subtlety and insight about the plight of ghetto youth, viewing it from inside and out; he probes beneath the pathologies to reveal the pressures—poverty, a lack of prospects, the need to respond to violence with greater violence—that propelled the other Wes to his doom. The result is a moving exploration of roads not taken.

The Radioactive Boy Scout by Ken Silverstein

As reviewed by Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT:  David Hahn, enthusiastically working on his Boy Scout merit badge in atomic energy, got a little carried awaya An obsessive type who had always been fascinated by science, he had conducted various experiments ranging from making his own fireworks to concocting a tanning lotion throughout his childhood, but when David became a teenager he sought out new challenges. As the subtitle makes clear (and the Day-Glo colors of the cover nicely reinforce), the suburban Detroit 16-year-old set out to build a model nuclear reactor in the backyard potting shed—and he got pretty far, too. In 1994, government officials discovered his creation, which was emitting toxic levels of radiation and posing a health risk to thousands of local residents, and classified the shed as a federal Superfund site. Silverstein, a journalist who originally published a story about David in Harper’s Magazine, describes David’s oblivious family, his scientific single-mindedness (he pretended to be a physics professor to obtain information on reactor design), and touches on the history of atomic energy, too. The result is a gripping read of interest to everyone, not just budding scientists.

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Greatest Migration by Isabel Wilkerson

As reviewed in Publishers Weekly:  Ida Mae Brandon Gladney, a sharecropper’s wife, left Mississippi for Milwaukee in 1937, after her cousin was falsely accused of stealing a white man’s turkeys and was almost beaten to death. In 1945, George Swanson Starling, a citrus picker, fled Florida for Harlem after learning of the grove owners’ plans to give him a “necktie party” (a lynching). Robert Joseph Pershing Foster made his trek from Louisiana to California in 1953, embittered by “the absurdity that he was doing surgery for the United States Army and couldn’t operate in his own home town.” Anchored to these three stories is Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Wilkerson’s magnificent, extensively researched study of the “great migration,” the exodus of six million black Southerners out of the terror of Jim Crow to an “uncertain existence” in the North and Midwest. Wilkerson deftly incorporates sociological and historical studies into the novelistic narratives of Gladney, Starling, and Pershing settling in new lands, building anew, and often finding that they have not left racism behind. The drama, poignancy, and romance of a classic immigrant saga pervade this book, hold the reader in its grasp, and resonate long after the reading is done.

The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir by Cylin Busby

As reviewed in Publishers Weekly:  No one with even a marginal interest in true crime writing should miss this page-turner, by turns shocking and almost unbearably sad. In 1979, in an underworld-style hit, a gunman shot John Busby, a policeman in Cape Cod; a fluke saved John’s life, but he was permanently disfigured and disabled, and the family placed under 24-hour protection. Eventually the family went into hiding in Tennessee, but arguably their “disappearance” takes place long before they move-as John and his daughter, Cylin, alternately narrate, readers can see how the shooting erased the family’s sense of themselves. John is consumed with anger at the police’s refusal to pursue the likeliest suspects (“and [I] planned to stay angry until I got back at the bastards who did this to me”); Cylin, then nine, is baffled as she and her two older brothers attract unwelcome attention (“Everyone thinks your dad is going to die,” a cousin tells her. “But you’re lucky-you don’t have to go to school”) and are later forsaken as classmates’ parents deem friendship with them too risky. Where John’s chapters provide the grim facts, it is Cylin’s authentically childlike perspective that, in revealing the cost to her innocence, renders the tragic experience most searingly.

Whatever You Say I Am by Anthony Bozza

As reviewed in Booklist):  The sine qua non of white rappers gets star treatment by Rolling Stone-r Bozza. Eminem’s “sense of timing and image management are nothing short of exceptional,” you see, and he “lives in the world he dreamed of . . . when he birthed [musical alter ego] Slim Shady,” which is supposed to be a compliment to Eminem’s grasp on reality. Still, this is a serious enough book, crammed with facts and the musings of its subject. Yes, it is legend-making stuff, urgently delivered and pretty constantly giving the subject more than his “props” as Bozza dotes on the oh-so-awesome importance of the Great White Rapper’s every act. But as the rap analog of Elvis (the white guy who sounds black), Eminem commands a huge audience, and as they did with the King, informed observers (the critics) debate his musical value and import. Oh, what the heck, get the book, display it, and reel in some of the highly prized YA breeder-male demographic. Hey, it’s only rock and roll (and they like it). Mike Tribby

 

A Monstrous Regiment of Women Laurie R. King (As viewed in Library Journal): King “found” this sequel to The Beekeeper’s Apprentice in a trunk, presumably the property of narrator Mary Russell. Mary once again tells of her partnership with Sherlock Holmes, a juxtaposition of her youth (age almost 21) and Holmes’s advanced middle age (59). Using disguise, guile, and ruse, Mary investigates murders in the inner clique of feminist preacher Margery Childe. Holmes assists, but the focus here is on Mary. The semiconvoluted, finely crafted late-Victorian prose is buttressed with exacting mots justes and surrounded by a nicely re-created 1920s London. A unique look at Holmes; for all collections.

A Visit from the Goon Squad Jennifer Egan (As reviewed in Publishers Weekly):Readers will be pleased to discover that the star-crossed marriage of lucid prose and expertly deployed postmodern switcheroos that helped shoot Egan to the top of the genre-bending new school is alive in well in this graceful yet wild novel. We begin in contemporaryish New York with kleptomaniac Sasha and her boss, rising music producer Bennie Salazar, before flashing back, with Bennie, to the glory days of Bay Area punk rock, and eventually forward, with Sasha, to a settled life. By then, Egan has accrued tertiary characters, like Scotty Hausmann, Bennie’s one-time bandmate who all but dropped out of society, and Alex, who goes on a date with Sasha and later witnesses the future of the music industry. Egan’s overarching concerns are about how rebellion ages, influence corrupts, habits turn to addictions, and lifelong friendships fluctuate and turn. Or as one character asks, “How did I go from being a rock star to being a fat fuck no one cares about?” Egan answers the question elegantly, though not straight on, as this powerful novel chronicles how and why we change, even as the song stays the same.

Behemoth Scott Westerfeld (As reviewed in School Library Journal):This book continues the hard-driving, action-packed adventures of Alek, heir to the throne of the Austrian empire and current British prisoner of war, and Deryn Sharp, a midshipman assigned to the Leviathan. Their loyalties to their respective governments and philosophies are tested as their friendship grows; Alek is an Austrian Clanker and Deryn an English Darwinist. After the Leviathan is damaged by a German attack, Alek and his personal guard escape the airship and join a revolutionary group dedicated to the overthrow of the sultan of Istanbul. Meanwhile Deryn has been sent to sabotage a key military blockade in the Istanbul harbor. But true havoc doesn’t ensue until the teens are reunited. This dynamite novel incorporates factual events of the early months of World War I: the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Churchill’s confiscation of an Ottoman Empire warship, and the instability and revolution within the Empire. However, the elements of steampunk, biological and mechanical technology, sheer over-the-top adventure, and great storytelling make this a must-have addition to any speculative fiction collection. Thompson’s sumptuous full-page illustrations capture the goings-on and contribute to the cinematic feel of the book. –Jane Henriksen Baird

Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. Medeia Sharif (As reviewed in Kirkus):When a 15-year-old contemporary American Muslim from a “half-way religious” family opts to observe Ramadan, she has no idea how difficult and rewarding it will be.

Blessed Cynthia Leitich Smith (As reviewed in Booklist):Quincie, the teen restaurateur last seen in Tantalize (2007), meets up with guardian angel Zachary from Eternal (2009) in this continuation of the Tantalize story line. Vamp chef Bradley may have been vanquished, but with the help of some mythic artifacts, he is coming back�and this time he seems to be channeling Drac Prime (the original count written about by Bram Stoker). Sure, the vampires, werewolves, and angels provide the lure, but Smith�s obvious affection for her characters makes this more than the typical cynical genre exercise. Pretty lengthy, but if this is your cup of tea, you�ll relish it. Grades 8-11. –Daniel Kraus

Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness Alexandra Fuller (As reviewed in Kirkus):“Gracefully recounted using family recollections and photos, the author plumbs the narrative with a humane and clear-eyed gaze—a lush story, largely lived within a remarkable place and time.”

Cold Kiss Amy Garvey (As reviewed in Kirkus):“Fast-paced and achingly real, this fresh tale hints at the danger that lurks beneath Wren’s spell without veering into the macabre. Wren is not a traditional heroine, but her character is ultimately redeemed by her decision to make things right no matter the cost. A provocative romance.”

Crescendo Becca Fitzpatrick (As reviewed by Lynne Farrell Stover in VOYA):Nora Grey is trying her best to do well in a summer school chemistry class, find a part-time job, and keep up with a group of dubious friends. Adding to this frenzy of activity is a difficult relationship with Patch, her guardian angel, the unsolved mystery of her father’s brutal murder, and an often-absent mother. Interwoven into the complications of Nora’s life is the escalating conflict between a band of fallen angels and their Nephilim hosts, which may soon take its toll on all of mankind. This sequel relies on the reader having knowledge of its predecessor, Hush, Hush (Simon & Schuster, 2009 / VOYA December 2009). Unfortunately a short recap does not appear until the middle of the book. Nora, the story’s narrator, is a walking contradiction. She is an outstanding student who continues act foolishly. She is a self-professed good girl who has no trouble using a fake identification card, dressing provocatively, visiting shady pool halls, and slugging people. She steals her nemesis’s diary, but is too ethical to read it. She trusts bad-boy Patch with her life (even though he tried to kill her in the prequel), but not with another girl. Although Nora’s sensual dream sequences advance the story and add romance while keeping her innocent, they come across as contrived insertions. More information about the paranormal world the archangels inhabit may have made up for an overly long story with unlikable characters, a convoluted time frame, and contrived plot twists.

Fall of Giants Ken Follett (As reviewed in Booklist):After a sequence of spy thrillers, Follett burst onto the historical fiction scene in 1989 with the megahit The Pillars of the Earth, set in twelfth-century England, and nearly two decades later (having written many other novels in the meantime), he followed with a sequel, World without End. His new book inaugurates what is to be a trio of historical novels (called the Century Trilogy), and it duplicates in structure the two novels mentioned above: showcasing the lives of five families from all walks of life and involved in various ways with the issues of the day from the outbreak of WWI to the early 1920s and reflecting these issues over a broad geographical range, the families here being from Britain, the U.S., Russia, and Germany. The social range of this big, sweeping, completely enveloping novel is announced in the very first line: “On the day King George V was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London, Billy Williams went down the pit in Aberowen, Wales.” Actual historical figures populate the narrative along with fictional characters, all of whom experience in different ways war, revolution, and the fight for women’s rights.–Brad Hooper

Fateful Claudia Gray (As reviewed in Booklist):“Stephenie Meyer fans will find similar rewards in the flashes of humor; the terrifying battle between ancient, supernatural societies; and the steamy romance in which love bites aren’t just a euphemism.”

Fight Club Chuck Palahniuk (As reviewed in Kirkus):Brutal and relentless debut fiction takes anarcho-S&M chic to a whole new level–in a creepy, dystopic, confrontational novel that’s also cynically smart and sharply written. Palahniuk’s insomniac narrator, a drone who works as a product recall coordinator, spends his free time crashing support groups for the dying. But his after-hours life changes for the weirder when he hooks up with Tyler Durden, a waiter and projectionist with plans to screw up the world–he’s a “guerilla terrorist of the service industry.” “Project Mayhem” seems taken from a page in The Anarchist Cookbook and starts small: Durden splices subliminal scenes of porno into family films and he spits into customers’ soup. Things take off, though, when he begins the fight club–a gruesome late-night sport in which men beat each other up as partial initiation into Durden’s bigger scheme…This brilliant bit of nihilism succeeds where so many self- described transgressive novels do not: It’s dangerous because it’s so compelling

I Am Number Four Pittacus Lore (As reviewed in Booklist):Is Pittacus Lore a pseudonym? An introduction suggests that Lore is 10,000 years old and hails from the planet Lorien, so I’m going with yes. This fun bit of business is indicative of the book’s commitment to its premise: 10 years ago, nine children fled war-ravaged Lorien and landed on Earth along with their adult teachers. As they mature, each child develops powers called Legacies, which help them fight the evil Mogadarians. The Nine can only be killed in order—and Number Three just bit it. That leaves Number Four: John Smith. At least, that’s his latest alias, as he and his guardian, Henri, flee to a new town for the umpteenth time. There John encounters bullies, falls in love, and begins to, you know, move things with his mind. Though the finale bogs down in a cluttered monster battle, everything else is terrifically propulsive. Meanwhile, the backstory (Loriens are given credit for everything from Greek gods to the Loch Ness Monster) deserves the next story that Lore is surely concocting in his/her/its spacecraft right now. Grades 9-12. —-Daniel Kraus

Love, Inc. Collins & Rideout (As reviewed by Spring Lea Henry in VOYA): Zahra Ahmed-MacDuff is being pulled in many directions lately. Her parents are separated, and with her grandparents moving in with her mother, she is in the middle of a serious tug of war between her Scottish and Pakistani roots and her current life as an American. Thrown into therapy as a way to cope with all the turmoil, she meets Syd and Kali, whose parents have also split up and who share something else in common: all three are dating the same boy! Eric, aka Ric, aka Rico, has been three-timing them. The way the girls deal with his shenanigans puts them in a small spotlight, and they find themselves approached by other lovelorn individuals asking for help. Thus, Love, Inc. is born. But can the girls juggle school, therapy, Love, Inc., and family obligations all at once? Their adventures ramble all over Austin, Texas, and force them to take a deeper look at what is happening around them and within their own hearts. This is a breezy read with strong appeal for those looking for something “clean” to enjoy.

Matched Ally Condie (As reviewed in School Library Journal):In a story that is at once evocative of Lois Lowry’s The Giver (Houghton, 1993), George Orwell’s 1984, and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Condie introduces readers to the “perfect” Society. Cassia Reyes is a model student, daughter, and citizen. How could she not be when the Society has everything planned and functioning perfectly? All of her needs are met: food, shelter, education, career training, and even her future husband are selected by officials who know what is best for each individual by studying statistical data and probable odds. She even knows when she will die, on her 80th birthday, just as the Society dictates. At her Match Banquet she is paired with Xander, her best friend and certainly her soul mate. But when a computer error shows her the face of Ky, an Aberration, instead of Xander, cracks begin to appear in the Society’s facade of perfection. A series of events also shakes her dedication to Xander and puts her future in jeopardy. Cassia exhibits some characteristics of Winston Smith and Lenina Crowne in her silent rebellion against societal control and in her illicit friendship with Ky but ultimately, and more satisfyingly, she is more like Lowry’s Jonas. Her awakening and development are realistically portrayed, and supporting characters like Cassia’s parents and her grandfather add depth to the story. The biggest flaw is that the story is not finished. Fans of the Giver will devour this book and impatiently demand the next installment.–Anthony C. Doyle

Nightshade Andrea Cremer (As reviewed in School Library Journal): Calla Tor is the alpha female of her werewolf pack and is destined to wed the alpha male, Ren Laroche. While in the woods, she spares the life of Shay, the new boy at school whom she just can’t resist, and this act violates the laws of the Keepers. This may all seem familiar but what makes Nightshade new and refreshing is that the packs are ruled by the Keepers, who appear to be witches. Cremer has added a bit of superstition and the science of witchcraft that readers will find intriguing. However, they may feel that they have met these characters before even though the author has done a good job of contrasting their strong personalities with their weaknesses for temptation and stepped up the pace of the action. The segregation of the humans versus the werewolves might remind readers of Romeo and Juliet–or is it just a typical love triangle? Readers may find the world that is created here is more interesting than the characters. The end of the book is a cliff-hanger and interested readers will anticipate the second book, Wolfsbane. Mature scenes make this a better choice for older students.–Karen Alexander

Out of Oz: The Final Volume in the Wicked Years Gregory Maguire (As reviewed in Publishers Weekly):The final volume of Maguire’s Wicked Years series finds Oz torn by war, and Shell Thropp, Elphaba’s brother, as emperor. Munchkinland has seceded, and the Emerald City invades with the Ozian army to get it back. Glinda, former Throne Minister, is held under house arrest by General Cherrystone, who takes an interest in Rain, Glinda’s broom girl, teaching her to read. He doesn’t know that Rain is actually Liir’s daughter and Elphaba’s granddaughter, and the only one who can understand the infamous Grimmerie, supposedly a volume of magical lore, coveted by Oz. A troupe of traveling players arrive and secretly give the Grimmerie to Glinda, who distracts the soldiers long enough to send Rain off with Brrr (aka the Cowardly Lion). So begins a quest for Rain to discover her true identity and unravel the layers of political and personal secrets that have caused strife and division in Oz. Maguire’s take on the trouble-prone Dorothy Gale is refreshing, and his Oz far darker, sadder, harsher, more complex, and convoluted than Baum’s (which will make this hard to follow for readers unfamiliar with the series). The language and imagery are rich, and the sense of love, loss, and regret palpable. For fans, this will be a revealing and satisfying end to the layered tale begun in Wicked. (Nov.)

Red Moon Rising Peter Moore (As reviewed in Booklist):If Meyer’s Twilight series embodies the romantic supernatural, Hawkins’ debut novel exemplifies the supernatural spoof. Sixteen-year-old Sophie Mercer, whose absentee father is a warlock, discovered both her heritage and her powers at age 13. While at her school prom, Sophie happens upon a miserable girl sobbing in the bathroom and tries to perform a love spell to help her out. It misfires, and Sophie finds herself at Hecate (aka Hex) Hall, a boarding school for delinquent Prodigium (witches, warlocks, faeries, shape-shifters, and the occasional vampire). What makes this fast-paced romp work is Hawkins’ wry humor and sharp eye for teen dynamics, especially between the popular and the misfit crowds. Sophie is a multidimensional character, both likable and believably flawed. Secondary characters lack her depth, but their more broadly drawn portraits are in keeping with narrator Sophie’s impressions of her teachers and classmates. Many clever touches (vampire Lord Byron teaches literature), spot-on depictions of classic teen situations (crushing on the queen bee’s boyfriend), and an ending that leaves you hanging will have readers grabbing for the sequel.–Debbie Carton

So Much Closer Susane Colasanti (As reviewed in Kirkus):”Colasanti’s Manhattan is a teenager’s paradise, with rooftop hideaways and low parental involvement. The contrast between Brooke’s dull New Jersey town and life in the big city will resonate with teens craving a change.”

Starcrossed Josephine Angelini (As reviewed by Robin Henry, School Library Journal): Another entry in the supernatural love category. This time it is the story of descendants from the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. These demigods are controlled, it seems, by the Fates, condemned to reenact ancient grudges ad infinitum. It doesn’t take long to figure out what is going on, as the names of the characters are a dead giveaway, especially since they are all in the same family, and readers get an inkling of “special powers” right from the beginning. Helen is the main character, and, you guessed it, she has the “face that launched a thousand ships.” In addition, she is incredibly strong and fast and heals herself. When first she meets Lucas (wait, he doesn’t have a Greek name but that will be explained later), she instantly loathes him. Of course, it isn’t long before Helen and Lucas are inseparable, and yet, strangely, he won’t kiss her. Forbidden love rears its head à la Twilight. There is, of course, an ancient curse that they must somehow break, etc., etc. The characters are a little flat and the writing is uneven, but there are times when the story is compelling. It’s too long, though, and some passages are seemingly not connected to the plot or character development. Evidently, there will be a sequel, as there are plenty of loose threads at the end, and not a Fate in sight to snip them. Better choices include Tera Lynn Childs’s Oh. My. Gods. (Dutton, 2008) and Lauren Kate’s Fallen (Delacorte, 2009), both with sequels.—

Supernaturally Kiersten White (As reviewed in Kirkus): Having escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency in Paranormalcy (2010), Evie finds that her unusual powers, history and, in particular, a shape-shifter boyfriend make being a normal girl utterly impossible. Her romance with Lend is developing, but she does find the regular high-school routine a little dull. Evie’s ability to see through the glamours of the beings that inhabit the spirit world inevitably shakes things up, though.When a mysterious new guy, Jack, shows up with the ability to navigate the faerie realm, Evie’s off on another hair-raising adventure.Despite her distrust of IPCA, Evie knows that she can help in its battle against the faeries’ machinations—after all, she knows how dangerous the fae can be from personal experience—so she allows herself to be sucked back in.Readers can safely assume that Jack will be competing against Lend for Evie’s affections, but he proves to be a far more complex character under his blithe surface than they may initially think. Characters and plot will make more sense to readers who are familiar with the story than to newcomers, but it’s a goofy, amusing ride for anyone. As in the previous book, Evie’s voice is the best part of the story, as she balances her supernatural abilities against typical teen concerns and obsessions. A tasty bonbon for those who like their romance mixed with supernatural adventures.

Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) Sarah Mlynowski (As reviewed in Publishers Weekly): With wit, energy, and an uncanny understanding of teenage logic, Mlynowski (Gimme a Call) weighs the pros and cons of independence in this modern cautionary tale. April is thrilled when her father agrees to let her stay at her friend Vi’s house while he and his new wife move from Connecticut to Ohio. There’s just one little detail that April manages to keep secret: Vi’s mother will be away, so there will be no adult supervision. Soon April is living a 16-year-old’s dream: “House on the beach. No Parents. Parties whenever we wanted. Boyfriends whenever we wanted.” But it doesn’t take her long to discover that the price of freedom (both literally and figuratively) may be higher than she’s willing to pay. Even though the message about growing up too quickly comes through loud and clear, Mlynowski avoids sermonizing, offering 10 madcap and remarkably tense escapades that will have readers laughing, cringing, and guessing how April will get out of the next pickle. Like all good things, April’s freedom party must come to an end, but the way it does so will surprise.

The Beekeeper’s Apprentice: Or on the Segregation of the Queen/A Novel of Suspense Laurie R. King (As reviewed in Booklist): Imagine Sherlock Holmes retiring to a Sussex farm but keeping his hand in by occasionally investigating cases for the British government. Imagine further that Watson was not so much Holmes’ helpmate and confidant as a kindly bumbler who proved more a hindrance than a help. Then picture Holmes, walking on the Sussex Downs, literally stumbling across a 15-year-old girl whose brilliant intellect, caustic wit, egotistical personality, and gift for detail rival Holmes’ own. Finally, envision the stirring adventures Holmes and his prot{‚}eg{‚}ee could have as a detective duo. King has used these fanciful possibilities to create a wonderfully original and entertaining story that is funny, heartwarming, and full of intrigue, with Holmes and his young apprentice, Mary Russell, matching wits with some of the finer criminal minds of the times, including the brilliantly diabolic daughter of Holmes’ old enemy, Professor Moriarty. Everything about this book rings true, from the ambience of World War I England to the intriguing relationship between Holmes and Mary to the surprising final confrontation between Holmes and Moriarty’s daughter. Holmes fans, history buffs, lovers of humor and adventure, and mystery devotees will all find King’s book absorbing from beginning to end.–Emily Melton

The Carrie Diaries Bushnell, Candace (As reviewed in School Library Journal): Grade 9 Up—In the 1980s, Carrie Bradshaw is the oldest of three girls who live with their widowed father. She is on the swim team, wants to attend a summer writing program in New York, has applied to Brown, and is the last of her girlfriends to still have her virginity. When the rakish Sebastian Kydd returns to town, all the girls in the school become distracted, but he seems to have his eye on Carrie, at least until her best friend begins to take notice of him. The action is lightweight: senior pranks are played, dates are prevalent, friendships are tested, and Carrie keeps letting boys run rampant over her. It takes most of the book for her to stand up for herself. This protagonist is clearly written to resemble her older self as portrayed in the TV series Sex and the City. She spends the novel questioning relationships; worrying about friendships; developing a funky, independent sense of fashion; flirting with boys while dating two at once; and having a gay male friend. The author is known for writing frivolous, adult chick-lit books and she does not stray from that style here. While toning down the antics that take place in her adult books, she still writes about partying, drinking, smoking (cigarettes and dope), sex, and shoplifting, making this book best suited to older teens looking for a diversion.—Geri Diorio

The Castle Kafka, Franz (As reviewed in Library Journal): Upon his death in 1924, Kafka instructed his literary executor, Max Brod, to destroy all his manuscripts. Wisely refusing his friend’s last wishes, Brod edited the uncompleted Castle, along with other unfinished works, ordering the fragments into a coherent whole, and had them published. Brod’s interpretation of the work as a novel of personal salvation was accepted and strengthened by Willa and Edward Muir, who translated it into English in 1930. Recent scholarship, less willing to accept Brod’s version, has led to a new critical edition of the novel, which was published in German in 1982 and which purports to be closer to Kafka’s intentions. Harman’s translation represents this edition’s first appearance in English. Harman’s stated goal as translator is to reproduce as closely as possible Kafka’s style, which results in an English that is stranger and denser than the Muirs’ elegant work. A necessary acquisition for anyone interested in Kafka.–Michael O’Pecko

The Chamber of Five Harmon, Michael (As reviewed in Publishers Weekly):In this tense psychological thriller, Harmon (Brutal) explores the abuse of power and authority. At the Lambert School for the Gifted, the student body is run by the Youth Leadership Group, which is in turn ruled by the elite Chamber of Five. When junior Jason Weatherby is tapped to join the Chamber, it’s an honor he doesn’t want and an opportunity he isn’t allowed to refuse. Emotionally blackmailed by the Chamber’s tyrannical and manipulative leader, Carter Logan, and pressured by his own abusive congressman father, Jason reluctantly accepts, but only so he can change the system from within. His first task: destroy fellow student Thomas Singletary, a mysterious loner. Caught between the demands of a corrupt government and his own beliefs, Jason recruits allies, including Thomas. As tension mounts, violence is all but inevitable. With its intense, brittle atmosphere, this story is a narrative powder keg ready to explode. While the villains are a little cartoonish in their unrelenting nastiness, Jason’s inherent optimism and decency make him a protagonist worth supporting. Dark at heart, there’s light at the end of this tunnel.

The Iron King Julie Kagawa (As reviewed in School Library Journal): On her 16th birthday, Meghan Chase’s four-year-old half brother is exchanged for a changeling and she discovers that her best friend, Robbie, is actually Robin Greenfellow, aka Puck, from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He is her guardian and will lead her into the faery world to rescue her brother. Once there, Meghan learns that she is a princess, daughter of Oberon, king of the Seelie Court. With a mortal mother and a faery king for a father, she is very powerful, and Oberon and Queen Mab, queen of the Unseelie Court, are both fighting to keep her. With help from Puck and a talking cat, Meghan sneaks into the Unseelie Court to rescue Ethan, only to discover that he is held captive by more powerful forces that could destroy the entire fey world. Meghan is a likable heroine and her quest is fraught with danger and adventure. The action never stops, and Meghan’s romance with Ash, the handsome prince of the Unseelie Court, provides some romance that is sure to continue in the sequel. Faery books are in high demand now, and this is one of the better ones. Expect it to be popular with teens who liked Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely (HarperTeen, 2007).—Ginny Collier

The Lost Gate Orson Scott Card (As reviewed in Publishers Weekly): Card’s newest series opener can’t decide whether it’s a thought experiment featuring a nifty magic system, a YA urban fantasy, or a series of fantasy interludes, so it settles for performing all three tasks satisfactorily, if not spectacularly. Danny North, descendant of exiled mages from another world, is taken aback when he comes into his true powers as a gatemage. He could reconnect his people with their long-lost home world, but gatemages are usually killed to maintain a fragile peace among the exiled clans. Fleeing his home, Danny finds refuge and slowly explores his potential, planning to open the first Great Gate in 14 centuries. Meanwhile, on the far-off world of Westil, a young gatemage named Wad finds love, conspiracies, and betrayal in a remote castle while struggling to recall his hazy past. Though occasionally uneven and meandering, this ambitious tale is well crafted, highly detailed, and pleasantly accessible.

The Lying Game Sara Shepard (As reviewed in Booklist):Identical twins who have never met, a mean-girl crowd with more money than morals, a stoic foster kid, and a beyond-the-grave narrator all propel readers into a roller-coaster ride of physical and emotional challenges in this first book in a new series. Foster kid Emma, two weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, discovers she has a twin named Sutton and runs away from Las Vegas to meet her in Tucson. Sutton, however, seems to have been killed during the making of a snuff film. Narrating from the afterlife, Sutton cannot remember exactly who killed her, or much else about her life, as she watches her living twin try to solve the mystery. Shepard does a fast and thorough job of getting readers to suspend disbelief and go along for an adventure through a nasty underbelly of adolescent peer pressure and rebellion. Only toward the end does it become apparent that the platform is being prepared for the launch of a forthcoming second volume.–Francisca Goldsmith

The Other Boleyn Girl Philippa Gregory (As reviewed in Publishers Weekly): Sisterly rivalry is the basis of this fresh, wonderfully vivid retelling of the story of Anne Boleyn. Anne, her sister Mary and their brother George are all brought to the king’s court at a young age, as players in their uncle’s plans to advance the family’s fortunes. Mary, the sweet, blond sister, wins King Henry VIII’s favor when she is barely 14 and already married to one of his courtiers. Their affair lasts several years, and she gives Henry a daughter and a son. But her dark, clever, scheming sister, Anne, insinuates herself into Henry’s graces, styling herself as his adviser and confidant. Soon she displaces Mary as his lover and begins her machinations to rid him of his wife, Katherine of Aragon. This is only the beginning of the intrigue that Gregory so handily chronicles, capturing beautifully the mingled hate and nearly incestuous love Anne, Mary and George (“kin and enemies all at once”) feel for each other and the toll their family’s ambition takes on them. Mary, the story’s narrator, is the most sympathetic of the siblings, but even she is twisted by the demands of power and status; charming George, an able plotter, finally brings disaster on his own head by falling in love with a male courtier. Anne, most tormented of all, is ruthless in her drive to become queen, and then to give Henry a male heir. Rather than settling for a picturesque rendering of court life, Gregory conveys its claustrophobic, all-consuming nature with consummate skill. In the end, Anne’s famous, tragic end is offset by Mary’s happier fate, but the self-defeating folly of the quest for power lingers longest in the reader’s mind. (June 4) Forecast: Lovers of historical romances heavy on the history will relish this new entry from Gregory and perhaps propel it onto bestseller lists this summer.

The Power of Six Pittacus Lore (As reviewed in VOYA): Lore picks up and expands on a strong premise that originated in the first novel. An intriguing potential romantic triangle brewing between John, Six, and Sam adds layers as they search for answers.”

The Sky is Everywhere Jandy Nelson (As reviewed in School Library Journal):When her older sister dies from an arrhythmia, 17-year-old Lennie finds that people are awkward around her, including her best friend. While dealing with her conflicted feelings toward her sister’s boyfriend, her anguish over Bailey’s unexpected death, and her sudden curiosity about sex, Lennie must also cope with her unresolved feelings about her mother, who left when Lennie was an infant. Debut author Nelson expertly and movingly chronicles the myriad, roller-coaster emotions that follow a tragedy, including Lennie’s reluctance to box up her sister’s belongings and her guilt over bursts of happiness. The portrayal of the teen’s state of mind is believable, as are the romanticizing of her absent mother and the brief scenes of underage drinking and sexual exploration. Chapters are typically anchored by brief snippets of Lennie’s writings. This is a heartfelt and appealing tale. Girls who gobble up romantic and/or weep-over fiction will undoubtedly flock to this realistic, sometimes funny, and heartbreaking story.—Jennifer Schultz

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead Max Brooks (As reviewed in Publishers Weekly):In this outrageous parody of a survival guide, Saturday Night Live staff writer Brooks prepares humanity for its eventual battle with zombies. One would expect the son of Mel Brooks to have a genetic predisposition to humor, and indeed, he does, and he exhibits it relentlessly here: he outlines virtually every possible zombie-human encounter, drafts detailed plans for defense and attack and outlines past recorded attacks dating from 60,000 B.C. to 2002. In planning for that catastrophic day when “the dead rise,” Brooks urges readers to get to know themselves, their bodies, their weaponry, their surroundings and, just in case, their escape routes. Some of the book’s more amusing aspects are the laughable analyses Brooks proposes on all aspects of zombiehood, and the specificity with which he enumerates the necessary actions for survival-i.e., a member of an anti-zombie team must be sure to have with him at all times two emergency flares, a signaling mirror, daily rations, a personal mess kit and two pairs of socks. Comic, though unnecessarily exhaustive, this is a good bet for Halloween gag gifts and fans of Bored of the Rings-esque humor.