The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
So, I knew who Neil Gaiman was because of the movie Coraline (which I only watched the beginning of because it was so creepy), but I'd never read any of his work. I heard about this book from a list of YA "must reads," so I decided to give it a whirl. Well. I was captivated! This story absolutely grabbed me right from the first chapter. It was a creative idea (human child raised in a graveyard by ghosts), and it had just the right mix of creepy but with heart. I loved, loved, loved it. Five stars all the way, and Mr. Gaiman is now an author I plan to read more of. Teachers and parents...supernatural horror situations, physical violence, no strong language, no inappropriate physical romance. 13+ for sure. 12 and under with caveats. Not for the 12 and under gentle crowd.
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a fun mystery story! At first I wasn't sure. It took me a couple of chapters to get into the story and the characters. I think some of the southern-ness was tripping me up (I'm not from the south), but once I got cruising, this was a delightful read. I'll admit, I didn't have the mystery solved until the end of the book. There were several possibilities, but I hadn't guessed the author's solution. I ended up loving our heroine, what a fun person. I heartily recommend this one to all kids in the grades 4-6 range. Parents & Teachers -- crime mischief, kids in tense situations without parental involvement, no swearing (but the text indicates that the characters do use foul language), and no inappropriate physical romance. Ages 10+
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a horror book for teens, plain and simple. Horror is not my favorite genre, but I tore through this book and could not put it down. The action was set in 1880's New England, and that made the horror more palpable to me, I guess. There was a bit of history slant towards the story. The horror elements were blood and guts, which is probably why I could stand it, too (amazingly, my most tolerable type of horror. I know...this statement seems ridiculous even as I type it).
I loved the author's use of language here. It was rich. It was precise. It was a joy to read. The characters were well-fleshed out and vivid. I read The 5th Wave by Yancey several years ago and while I enjoyed that book, I thought the writing was better in this one.
Since this is a YA book, I have several cautions (because I'm a 6th grade teacher and a parent) -- There is violence in this book. Several characters die horrible deaths. There are monsters in this book, and they are vividly described. Several other "icky" moments are just downright gross. I say all that to alert the parents and teachers out there that your younger YAs may not fare too well with this book. It depends on their gross-out tolerance. I wouldn't recommend this to my gentler students in 6th grade. Some of the more mature kids would do fine. So, I give this a 13+ recommendation but with caveats. There's virtually no bad language or inappropriate physical situations, so that's not a concern. Just a lot of violence alongside blood and guts. If you've got a weak stomach, beware.
Wildwood by Colin Meloy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
5 stars for the richness of the writing, 3 stars for the rambling story. Seriously, this book needed to be 150 pages shorter. I liked it...great story and plot, but it was too long. By the last 100 pages I was skimming. I loved how the author used language and the word choice was amazing, but if Tolkien can get Bilbo to the Lonely Mountain and back in less than 500 pages, then Meloy should be able to do that here, as well. I recommend this book if you have the patience for 541 pages.
Parents & Teachers - fighting and war violence, children on epic adventure with no parents present, no foul language, no inappropriate physical relationships. Ages 10+
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is one of my top YA books for the summer! I picked it up reluctantly from a coworker who recommended it, but then I was gripped. I could not put this one down and I tore through it. I didn't it want it to end. Talk about a story that stomped all over my heart. Themes here include change, and finding one's true self even underneath all the garbage. Redemption is another one. This is a book that teen boys would enjoy, and it really strikes a chord with troubled youth. Run, don't walk to read this book!
Parents and teachers -- Wilderness survival and violence, teen to teen violence, no swearing but some other strong words, tense situations, no inappropriate physical relationships. Ages 11+
Guts: The True Stories behind Hatchet and the Brian Books by Gary Paulsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Disclaimer....I love Gary Paulsen books. I've loved every one I've ever read. He has a way of writing that seems so normal and plain, but once you stop to look more closely, you realize how rich it is. This book is an excellent choice for those who've read Hatchet or any of the other Brian books because Paulsen tells the tales of his own life that played into his writing of those books. I think reading "Guts" at this time also sparked some extra interest in me because we just took a trip out west this summer. I was able to relate to his tales of the wilderness adventures since we had been in the wilderness. I think this book is most enjoyed by those who've read some of his other works, but even if you haven't, this is a well-written book with the "real" adventures of Gary Paulsen. Fantastic. Ages 10+
The Strange Case of Finley Jayne by Kady Cross
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a freebie I got on Amazon, so I read it at one of those times when I had nothing else to read. It had been on my Kindle for awhile. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised. A period piece with a whiff of fairy tale, but an interesting heroine...it definitely kept my pages turning and I enjoyed it for a quick summertime read. I might actually read another book about Finley Jayne if I came across one. Nothing objectionable here, some mild action, and a slightly gruesome human experiment but not described in shocking detail. Ages 12+.
