Intermediate Books
“It all starts when Kara is woken up in the night and taken
to the village square where she witnesses her mother being sentenced for the
worse crime of all...witchcraft! Seven years later, the villagers are still
wary and cruel to Kara and her family. They fear Kara is a witch just like her
mother. On the outskirts of the village is The Thickety, a magical forest that
is home to strange and ferocious beasts and full of secrets, like the book Kara
finds there, which may or may not be her mother’s grimoire. This book had me in
its grips from the very beginning. I can’t wait for the sequel!” —Jen Steele
“Julian Twerski opts for writing a journal of his sixth
grade year instead of a report on Shakespeare but, avoids mention of the
incident that got him and his friends suspended for a week from school. That’s
the story his teacher most wants him to recount and so do we. Julian isn’t
proud of the incident that resulted in a ‘slow’ kid on their block getting
injured but, he doesn’t consider himself a bully either. What we get, in his
journal, is a series stories that contain a lots of humor along with a good
measure of heart that reminded me somewhat of Twain’s Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Finally, we learn about that incident that got him in trouble. This book, based
on the author’s experiences growing up in a 1960’s neighborhood of Queens, sparkles
with crisp true to life dialogue that perfectly captures the awkward antics of
adolescent boys.” —Pam Stilp
A Snicker of Magic, by Natalie Lloyd
“A Snicker of Magic is about Felicity Pickle, who collects words she sees floating in the air. It’s up to Felicity and her friend Jonah to solve the mystery of why magic has left her new hometown, Midnight Gulch. With the help of her family, friends, and the townspeople, Felicity will bring back that Snicker of Magic to Midnight Gulch. Full of memorable characters and a town you’ll want to visit! Perfect for fans of Shelia Turnage’s Three Times Lucky.” —Jen Steele
“In Legacy of the Claw,
the first book of the new Animas series by C. R. Grey, twelve-year-old Bailey
Walker is afraid he’ll become the fourth person in Aldermere's history to die
of the raving madness associated with an ‘absence.’ Populated by people who
have special bonds with ‘kin’ animals, Aldermere is slipping into the hands of
the Dominae, a political party whose members seek to use their bonding power to
control all animals, and—eventually—people. Bailey has waited years to train
with Professor Tremelo Loren, the only person in Aldermere skilled enough to
teach latecomers how to awaken to their animas. Bailey wants desperately to fit
in at his new school, Fairmount Academy: it’s tough to be the only person on
campus without a kinship, despite the help of new friends Hal (Animas Bat),
Tori (Animas Snake) and Phi (Animas Falcon), and his coveted position on the
school’s elite Scavenge team. But Tremelo is too busy working on secret projects
to help Bailey, whose curiosity leads him across the path of the dangerous
Dominae, who are determined to stop at nothing for complete control of
Aldermere. How far will the Dominae go in demonstrating their beliefs and how
can Bailey possibly fight back without kin to help him? Legacy of the Claw by C. R. Grey is perfect for fans of Harry
Potter, Brandon Mull’s Spirit Animals series, and Erin Hunter’s Warrior series.
Legacy of the Claw is the beginning
of a grand adventure that kids age 8 to 108 will love!” —Mel Morrow
“A family prepares to move from Oman to the United States,
and son Aref struggles with the impending transition. Nye avoids fantastical
plot elements to allow a welcomed balance of a close, third-person narrative
and first-person lists to reveal Aref’s worries. Playful similes and verbs
abound, often appearing in scenes with Aref’s grandfather, Sidi, and they allow
for characterization and sentences that lift the book beyond a voice-over of
what Aref thinks. The balance of narrative choices also allows the reader to
mimic the relief Aref catches when he smells sunshine in his pillow case: the
reader greets the many facts and figures about culture and the animal kingdom
because the thoughts arise at the appropriate times either from Aref, who is
genuinely interested in the world, or from the narrator, who shows us Aref
acting out his passions.” —Todd Wellmann
“Laugh out loud as the young science wiz, Frank Einstein,
helps to invent one brainy robot and one not so brainy (but loveable) robot.
Trouble comes when rival T. Edison moves in to destroy Frank’s success. The
first in a series—watch for more hilarity and science fun!” —Barb Katz
“From the author of the award-winning novel The Skin I’m In, this intermediate
mystery set in 1953 stars 10-year-old detective Octobia May. When odd things
start happening at her aunt’s boarding house, Octobia May investigates! Is the
man living upstairs really a vampire? Is the sheriff working with the murderer?
Why did Octobia May’s new best friend Bessie stop talking? Perfect for fans of
Nancy Drew and Shelia Turnage’s Three
Times Lucky!” —Mel Morrow
“Naomi, AKA Chirp, lives with her family on Cape Cod in
1972. Her once vibrant mother suffers from depression after her MS diagnosis.
Chirp finds solace with her friend Joey as well as watching birds. Beautifully
narrated story of loss, friendship, and family.” —Jannis Mindel
“This book has it all—magic, adventure, talking stones,
moving trees, bandits, a witch, a wolf, and a kind and wise queen, a mean and
petulant king, a girl with a bow and a purpose, a boy who lived…this book is a
treat for ages 10 and up!” —Jen Steele
“The Wren Family are word nerds! Ava loves to write and is
far from shy. Her older sister loves to draw and is very quiet and shy. Read
along in Ava’s diary and find out how Ava plans to help her sister make new
friends and learn some palindromes while you’re at it!” —Jen Steele
Young Adult Books
“Nope, not Trondheim, Norway, but fictitious Trondheim,
Canada: land of the bland. Here is the modern world, as it is, but with one
glaring exception: dragons are real and always have been. And, there have
always been heroes and heroines, in equal measure, to fight them. The dragons
are not smart. They do not speak. They have no preference for maidens (virginal
or otherwise). They have no love of gold (well, not most). Owen is a
dragon-slayer in training. He is a high school student who has recently
transferred to the prosaic Trondeim. His family is famous and slaying dragons
is what they have always done. Kara is a nerdish classmate who loves music, and
is chosen to be his bard. And, no, they do not fall in love; and, no, the
popular girl is not a mean girl (at least, not really). Johnston has no use for
stereotypical characters or settings, and that makes this book special.” —Conrad Silverberg
“The whole world has gone through the Great Disruption, with
different geographical areas shifted into varying time periods, prehistoric to
the far future. Almost one hundred years after the Great Disruption we meet
Sophia, who is living with her Uncle Shadrack, a master cartologer. When her
Uncle is kidnapped, seemingly for his knowledge, she and her friend Theo set
off on a dangerous and amazing adventure to rescue him and find out secrets of
the time rift. A bit of magic, mystery, adventure, through a wonderfully
crafted world-this is one of my favorite books this year.” —Amie Mechler-Hickson
“In the blustery first month of 1892, Abigail Rook
disembarks a German freighter to face the bustling New England city of New
Fiddleham. A young lady of means, she is also the daughter of an archeologist
who refuses to allow her to accompany him to dig sites. And so it is with stars
in her eyes and wanderlust in her heart that she absconds with her college
tuition money to travel the world in search of adventure—before finally ending
up in desperate need of employment in New Fiddleham. A call for an
investigative services assistant leads her to Mr. R. F. Jackaby, a private
detective who specializes in unexplained phenomena. Like Johnny Depp’s Ichabod
Crane in Sleepy Hollow, Jackaby is a
strange fellow with strange methods. As she blunders her way through the most
thorough and bewildering interview process of her life involving a ghost, a
frog, a duck, a banshee, several bloody crime scenes, and innumerable beasties,
Ms. Rook may have found the adventure of a lifetime...but will she survive long
enough to help Jackaby solve the case? Jackaby
is a surprising, delightful read perfect for lovers of horror, mystery, and
history. I can't wait for the sequel!” —Mel
Morrow
“Can Camy (with cerebral palsy and talking through a voice
box) and Matthew (with his own problems) ever become friends? Readers will care
for these characters and cheer for their determination to open themselves up to
life.” —Barb Katz
“Devorah and Jax both live in the Crown Heights neighborhood
of Brooklyn but come from entirely different worlds. Devorah is a Hasidic Jew
who lives within the strict confines of her religion. Jax is an outgoing and
funny African-American who lives with his sisters and West Indian immigrant parents.
The two meet accidentally one night in an elevator when the power goes out
during a storm. At first Devorah is terrified, as she’s not supposed to speak
to boys or men without adults around. But a spark is set off between the two of
them and they can't stop thinking about one another. Jax and Devorah try
everything possible to see each other but eventually the odds are stacked
against them. Devorah is a strong-willed and smart young woman chaffing against
the confines of her strict community. She loves her family and her religion but
not the path that is set out for her. The story is told in alternating chapters
over the course of a few weeks. This is a satisfying young adult romance.” —Jannis Mindel
Teen Books
“A beautiful, heartfelt, engaging, creative, MAGNIFICENT
book that tells one story through two individual voices. The way everything
comes together will blow you away and the structure conveys a brilliant story
in a totally imaginative way!” —Phoebe
Dyer
“It takes a lot of talent to write a novel featuring an,
initially, immensely unlikable character, an unusual narrator, multiple points
of view and a totally non-linear timeline and pull it off as well as Amy Zhang
does in her debut novel, Falling into Place. We meet the main character, Liz
Emerson, a popular and pretty Queen Bee High School junior, after she has
decided to commit suicide. Unlikable, because she is manipulative and mean and
destroys the reputation and lives of anyone who stands in her path or that of
her two best friends. The prose is beautifully written but, the real genius
here is that, by the end of the book, Liz has become a more sympathetic
character as glimpses of her life are revealed through flashbacks and multiple
points of view. The reader comes to understand how immensely unhappy she is and
why. Although it is difficult to forgive her for the things she does, you
understand more about her need to bring others down to her level of sadness and
shame and that, ultimately, she cannot forgive herself. Through the problems of
different characters this novel deals with many difficult subjects—bullying,
suicide, loneliness, bulimia, alcoholism, and addiction—in a very realistic way
that should appeal to older teens. I look forward to this young authors future
work.” —Pam Stilp
“Paige Rawl spent the early years of her childhood unaware
of her HIV positive status. Her daily doses of medicine were as much a part of
life as cheerleading and playing on the soccer team. After her mother finally
tells her about her disease, Paige reveals her status to her best friend. Her
life thereafter would never be the same. The bullying started almost
immediately and with ferocity. The school did nothing to help Paige or her
mother but rather told her she was causing too much drama. The stress became so
severe she suffered from frequent seizures and eventually found herself
attempting suicide. But with the help of her mother, close friends, and a camp
for HIV/AIDS children, she was able to move forward and forgive. This is a
moving, personal, and very powerful story of the effects of bullying.” —Jannis Mindel
“The Sinclairs are a family who have much; wealth, beauty,
and dysfunction. Cadence, granddaughter and heir of the patriarch, is trying to
piece together her memory after an accident in her fifteenth summer that took
place on her families private island. A well told tale that will keep you
guessing until the end. A great summer read!” —Amie Mechler-Hickson
“Shane Burcaw’s body has been failing him since the day he
was born. Once considered by his parents to be the laziest baby on the planet,
his doctors’ diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy at the age of two was his
lifetime sentence for long-term physical decline and the confines of a
motorized wheelchair. Now comes the odd twist: in spite of this, Laughing at My Nightmare is the funniest
book I’ve read this year! Shane knows it’s only going to get worse for him. He’s
realistic about his future. And he doesn’t let it get him down. Instead, his
stance is that life should be enjoyed as long as we're here—regardless of our
situation (everyone has something)—laughing off as much of the bad stuff as
possible. This is a quick, excellent read you'll want to share with your
friends and family. I dare you not to join Shane in laughing at his nightmare:
seriously, it’s what he’d want!!” —Mel
Morrow
BONUS!!: Sara Farizan's Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel--here's a longer review from Boswellian Mel in Lambda Literary Review about this thrilling new teen novel from award-winning author (and bookseller!) Sara Farizan!!
"This
is the story of Sarah Grimke, a child of privilege born into a slave owning
Charleston family. On her 11tth birthday, her parents give her a handmaid, a
slave of her own, 10 year old Hetty. Horrified, Sarah tries to free her that
very night. Her parents let her know that this is not an option. Sarah Grimke
was an actual person who became a well-known abolitionist and suffragette. Sue
Monk Kidd has woven a fictional story around the facts of Sarah’s life, casting
light on a fascinating woman that I had never read about. The story moves back
and forth, with events being described from Sarah’s and then Hetty’s point of
view. These two girls essentially grew up together, although they were
separated by the wide gulf of race, privilege, and opportunity. A masterful
story, told in the vein of one of my favorite authors, Geraldine Brooks. If you
haven’t checked in with Sue Monk Kidd since The Secret Life of Bees, it’s time
to change that." --Sharon Nagel
"In the aftermath of World War
I, Frances Wray and her mother must rent out rooms in their house, due to their
accumulated losses and mounting debts. Newlyweds Leonard & Lillian Barber
are the Wray’s first tenants in their home up on Champion Hill. It's a big
adjustment for the Wrays, who come to terms with having "paying guests."
Along the way, Frances & Lillian get to know each other, and what begins as
a friendship blossoms into something more. Then one day a catastrophe strikes
that upends their existence and that of everyone they know. Sexy, gripping, and
suspenseful, Sarah Waters is in top form." --Jen Steele
One of Josh’s favorite books of the
year was Mad as Hell by Dave Itzkoff. Without an actual review to reference, I
think I can gleam why Josh picked this behind-the-scenes look at the movie
Network. First off, Josh loves popular culture, especially if it is in movie or
music format. Mad as Hell tells the story of how an improbable movie was able
to make it to the screen in the first place. Starting with the story of the
screenwriter, who would not change his vision and was able to change the way
people would forever look at the news and television. Dave Itzkoff interviewed
current broadcasters to see what influence the 1976 movie Network had them, and
you will be amazed to see the line-up of broadcasters he was able to get, some
of the greats that everybody knows today. The next reason that Josh probably loved this book is for one of the greatest movie lines uttered by the character Howard Beale: "I'm Mad as Hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" And, if neither of those are the reason Josh
Davis loved this book, I’m sure his opinion on it can be learned on any given
Wednesday. 
Keeping with true stuff, well
mostly, is the historical biography of Stonewall Jackson. Rebel Yell by S.C.
Gwynne was tremendous. I have read a lot of history in my day, I have a degree
in it that I use quite often (insert nervous laugh), but I have never been one
to read about the Civil War. Not sure why, it has never interested me highly.
That is until now. S.C. Gwynne writing is welcoming like a stream that quickly
becomes a raging river, and I was sucked into it all the way up to my neck. It was
amazing to think that Stonewall Jackson needed the Civil War. He was doomed to
just be another teacher in a military academy without the it. He had an
uncanny ability to see to the heart of situations, he understood that the
war was going to have to bloody and merciless years before any other general
came to that conclusion. He thought that the Confedrates should have an all-out march on Washington and leave no prisoner behind. In his thinking, this would actually save lives in the long run. This was a one-of-kind historical biography, and my
favorite book I have read all year!—Jason
Kennedy
The Novel by Michael Schmidt, is an
exhausted look at the English novel. It covers large areas, geographically and
culturally. The book clocks in over 1100 pages, though Jane tells me that you
can dip into the book and read a bit from time to time. She is very enthusiastic about this book, and
here is her blurb: 
Carly
Lenz loved One Summer by Bill Bryson
that came out late last year, but she is a new Boswellian and was taken by this tale and the hordes of readers who read the book. It is the
story of the summer of 1927 and all the amazing accomplishments that happened to
America during that time. From Charles Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic and Babe
Ruth setting the home run record to talking pictures, jazz and gangsters, Bill
Bryson weaves a tableau of American fabric into a spellbinding tale of our
past. 
"Anthony Doerr crafts hundreds of trim scenes of 1) a french girl who is blind fleeing World War II and 2) a boy with technical prowess becoming a nazi. What is the light neither sees?"--Todd Wellman
