And here are some more reviews!!! The summer book pile had been great so far.
Kemp, Kristen Breakfast at Bloomingdale’s, 304 p. Scholastic – Cat (not her real name) has come to New York and remade herself after the death of her beloved grandmother. Lying through her teeth, she talks her way into a class for brilliant teen clothing designers destines to enter New York’s most prestigious contest for her age group. But in order to get what she wants, she also has to come to terms with all that she left behind: an ex-boyfriend, an emotionally absent mother and too many memories of her Nina. Cat’s clothing brilliance is not going to be enough, necessarily, to win the day. About a dozen swear words are the only thing that mar this otherwise perfect novel, tailor-made for the Project Runway crowd. And I must say it is a refreshing change from the current slew of novels about teens who only want to wear or market the clothes that this group of teens will create. And a passing nod to one of my favorite blogs (www.dressaday.com) doesn’t hurt! MS – OPTIONAL, HS – ADVISABLE
Lubar, David True Talents, 320 p. TOR – As Trash starts to wake, he finds himself in the midst of a nightmare
– kidnapped and held prisoner as someone experiments with his power to moves objects telekinetically. A narrow escape only leads him into more danger. Somehow he needs the help of the rest of his group of friends from Edgeview Alternative – Cheater, Lucky, Flinch, Torch and Martin. And they will need his help too, as the evil which captured Trash discovers their potential also. In plot, in dialogue. in writing and in sheer genius, this sequel to Hidden Talents far outstrips the original. Which is saying a lot, because the original is SOOO AWESOME! I am so glad that Lubar waited for the exact perfect inspiration before he wrote a sequel (unlike Sachar and the disappointing Small Steps), because I just can’t say enough good things about this book. Thank you for another masterpiece! EL, MS - ESSENTIAL
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker The Lacemaker and the Princess, 196 p. Simon and Schuster – On an errand for her grandmother, a lacemaker, Isabelle catches the eye of Marie Anoinette, the Queen of France, and finds herself becoming the playmate of the queen’s daughter. Together, with Ernestine, Therese’s other companion, she learns the life of a royal and sometimes has difficulty going back to the hard life she comes from – the demands that her mother and grandmother make on her are the ordinary demands of life for a peasant of the time, but its some much easier to pretend to be a princess. Her brother George, who works in the palace stable, warns her that changes are coming, but Isabelle doesn’t want to see. Set in the few months leading up to the French Revolution, it is a wonder to see the events through Isabelle’s and George’s eyes. Bradley is just as skilled as Carolyn Meyer in her weaving of historical fiction. This would be a great read aloud if a teacher spends any time at all looking at these events. EL, MS – ADVISABLE
Yancey, Rick Alfred Kropp: The Seal of Solomon, 336 p. Bloomsbury – Alfred Kropp is kidnapped right out of the wretched foster home he is currently existing in. You would think a young man who controls a billion dollar corporation could do better for himself. But being dragged around the world to face demons released from hell is better than listen to his foster father plot to control his money any day. With the best intentions, Albert continues to do right by messing everything and everyone up. His dogged perseverance and unassuming personality help this book shine. However, it and its companion book still win the prize for ugliest cover, so you will have to direct students to it – they won’t pick it up on their own, unfortunately. Kropp is a lovely antidote or “Harry-it is”. MS – ESSENTIAL
Every thinks they know the story of the Little Red Hen – but do you know what happened next? The Red Hen learns an important lesson from her own chick in this artfully done continuation of the classic. The Japanese wood block prints work just right to illustrate this story. Any elementary school and other schools with Teacher Advisory programs need to add this to their collections. EL, MS – ADVISABLE
illustrated by August Hall PICTURE BOOK Houghton Mifflin – One day, a missionary brings two feral little girls to his orphanage in the jungles of 
Mifflin – Trapped in the house during a rainy day, a young boy finds a key that leads him to a different place and new friends. Told without words, the watercolor, gouache and ink illustrations lead you on a marvelous journey to friendship. Wordless books are a wonderful tool for prediction and narration for younger and older students. This particular title will be well loved. EL, MS – ADVISABLE
A little skeleton girl finds a mysterious bone and sets off to find its owner. My macabre predilections may be showing through, but this quick read with its funky, mixed media illustrations is the kind of book my own children and I would read through many times. This is definitely a book to buy and one that will be reread during Halloween time or any time at all. EL – ESSENTIAL
Posts
