Colibri

By Ann Cameron
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Set in Guatemaela, Tzunun is a Mayan girl, kidnapped at the age of 4 years old, from her parents in busy Guatamaela City. "Uncle" has kept her for the last 8 years, renaming her Rosa, and making her travel the roads with him from town to town, begging and conning people to get by. Fortune tellers told Uncle that one day she would be great luck to him, and Uncle is convinced that she will finally win him a great treasure. So she is dragged along with Uncle, wishing to be free to find her family but not quite having the courage to ever leave. But Uncle is growing impatient for his great treasure to come his way and becomes more violent and abusive. Meanwhile, Tzunun finds someone who might help her escape him...but can she break the hold Uncle has on her and finally be free like her old nickname, Colibri (hummingbird)? A story both moving and frightening of learning to be brave enough to do what you have to do.

The Scarecrow and His Servant

By Philip Pullman
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Lord Scarecrow is, actually, a scarecrow that old Mr. Pandolfo creates and puts in his field. The scarecrow gets stolen several times until the night it is struck by lightning and comes alive, like Frankenstein's monster. He meets Jack, an orphaned boy, who readily takes up the scarecrow's offer to take him on as a servant and to seek adventure. The scarecrow is a likeable soul, although quite simple minded in most ways, and as wide-eyed as a child in many instances. Jack is luckily a bright lad, and becomes quite devoted to extricating his master from the many scrapes he gets himself into. Their adventures are varied and amusing, from routing a band of brigands to becoming a prop in a play to fighting as a soldier in the battlefield. The scarecrow loses many of his bits and pieces along the way, but keeps his "inner conviction"--a piece of paper in the middle of his innards that says he actually owns a place called Spring Valley. Jack and the scarecrow join forces with the kingdom of birds when it becomes clear that Spring Valley is being taken over by an evil corporation. Can they fight the law and win? Overall, this is a light and humourous read. You can read deeper issues into it, like the evils of lawyers and corporations and the incompetence of armies and so on, but you don't need to. It can just be a fun adventure to ride along with. You'll have fun with this one. If you want to read something deep and wonderful, try Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.

Holes

By Louis Sachar
Rating: 5 stars
Newbery Award Winner
Reviewed by Noelle

Stanley Yelnats is convicted of a crime he didn't commit--stealing a sport star's shoes that were being auctioned off for charity. His punishment is to get sent to Camp Green Lake, where nothing is green. The boys at Camp Green Lake have to dig a hole that is as deep, as wide, and as long as the shovel they use every day in a dried out lakebed in the broiling sun. It seems the warden has a purpose in this task--but what is she looking for? As Stanley adapts to his harsh new life, we also hear the story of his family's past, where a legend and a curse come full circle. You won't find a much better book than this Newbery Award winner. It is funny, meaningful, and full of characters you won't want to forget. Read more about the book and its author (it is also a very good movie!) at the Holes: the Book website.

Mr. Chickee's Funny Money

By Christopher Paul Curtis
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Old Mr. Chickee gives 9 year old Steven an envelope with something inside, which he tells him he is confident Steven will do the right thing with. When Steven opens it, he finds a quadrillion dollar bill with the picture of James Brown on it. And so the zany adventure begins. The bill is legitimate, and soon Steven, his neighbor Russell, and Russell's dog Zoopy are being pursued by federal agents looking to recover the money. This is quite a departure for Christopher Paul Curtis, who you might know from the Newbery-winning Bud Not Buddy. This story is goofiness all the way through, with a heavy dose of information about James Brown songs and some high-level vocabulary mixed in. Add a talking dictionary, a dog the size of a bear, and some far out sleuthing equipment, and you have a wild ride. Boys especially may enjoy the fast-paced plot and some of the grosser moments. You may question who the humor is aimed at some of the time, since I doubt a 10 year old would appreciate when Steven has to say "ChakaKhan" 3 times fast as a punishment, but overall a funny if lackluster effort from a great author.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

By Kate DiCamillo
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

If you ever wished a book like The Velveteen Rabbit was a full length novel, you should pick up this story. Edward Tulane is a large china rabbit living with a 10 year old girl named Abilene. He is a beautiful toy with beautiful clothes, and he thinks quite a lot of himself but not of the little girl who loves him. Then one day, Abilene's grandmother, who had had Edward made, tells Abilene a bedtime story about a beautiful princess who cared for no one and came to a bad end. "You disappoint me," she tells Edward. Edward is confused about the message of the story until the day when he ends up accidentally at the bottom of the ocean and his amazing journey to different places with different people begins. It is a story of learning to love and always having hope of finding someone to love you and to love in return. The book's beautiful illustrations and timeless feel mark it as an instant classic. Although the saccharine sweetness of the story might turn off some readers, it one of those rare stories that is so touching and beautiful, it is tough to not like it. If you liked Because of Winn-Dixie or The Tale of Despeareaux you might well like this book, too.

Archer's Quest

By Linda Sue Park
Rating: 3 3/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Newbery Award winner Linda Sue Park delivers a new interesting story set in the present day but reflecting the past. Kevin is just sitting in his room when there is a crash and suddenly a man in some sort of karate type gear is aiming a bow and arrow at his head. Kevin soon finds out the impossible has happened--Chu-mong, a king from ancient Korea, has appeared in his bedroom. We never know why or how Chu-mong has appeared in modern day New York state, but all that is important is that Kevin find a way to send him back. Despite Kevin's initial disbelief, he finds himself drawn to help this strange man and comes to believe he is who he says. His daylong adventure gives Kevin a connection with his Korean heritage and, in the end, a way to connect with his father, too. This is an enjoyable, if lightweight, adventure tale that helps our hero discover a bit of what he's really made of.

The Oracle Betrayed

By Catherine Fisher
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

In this first book of the Oracle Prophecies, the stage is set in a world much like ancient Egypt. The land is having a severe drought and the story begins with the Archon, who is a person the god resides in, being executed to hopefully encourage the Rain Queen to give them rain. Mirany is one of the Nine--a group of 9 girls and women who are more or less the priestesses for the god. She doesn't even believe in the god. Then the Archon hands her a scrap of paper before he dies which reveals a plot for the head of Nine (the Speaker) and the general of the army to choose their own replacement for the Archon instead of the boy the god really inhabits. And Mirany finds that the god actually can talk to her! Shy, mousy Mirany is suddenly forced into action, and involves a scribe named Seth and a musician named Oblek to discover the real Archon-to-be. This is a fantastic adventure story, with tomb raiders, betrayal, tunnels under the City of the Dead, rescues and miracles. Readers will be compelled to keep turning the pages to find out who wins out in the end...if anyone really wins. Sequels include The Sphere of Secrets and Day of the Scarab. A very exciting read.

Wabi: a Hero's Tale

By Joseph Bruchac
Rating: 3 3/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Wabi is an owl who is fascinated with humans, particularly the Abenaki tribe that lives in a village nearby. He takes pains to watch and listen to them, and to help protect them when monsters of legend prowl nearby. But after years pass, Wabi realizes that he has fallen in love with Dojihla, one of the Abenaki girls. He seeks out his wise great-grandmother and she tells him that members of his family have been able to transform from owl to human and from human to owl. After determining this is what he truly wants to do, his great-grandmother tells him how it is done. But once Wabi is human, how can he go about winning this girl he has loved from afar? His road to becoming a hero is a hard one, filled with monsters, wolves, battles and many other trials. Wabi's own story is one from which legends are born. For those who like a story based on the stuff of myth and legend, this may be the story for you.

Sphere of Secrets

By Catherine Fisher
Rating: 4 1/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

In this sequel to The Oracle Betrayed (see review), the boy Archon Alexos has been put into place by the priestess Mirany and her friends, Seth, Oblek and the tomb thief, the Jackal. But their troubles are far from ended. Alexos has no real power, and the general of the army, Argelin, and the Speaker of the Nine still plot against him. A sphere is found which reveals a map to the lost Well of Songs, deep in the desert. Alexos, Seth, Oblek and the Jackal all make a pilgrimage into the desert to find the Well, but one of them has been blackmailed to make sure the group doesn't return while others are only going for their own gain. Can they learn to trust each other through the dangers of the desert? Meanwhile, Mirany struggles to keep things balanced with the priestesses, but one encourages a war between their Port and the Emperor from another land while the Speaker still plots with Argelin to kill the Archon. Mirany is torn between her desire to do what's right and to just keep out of the mess. Like the first book, this one is filled with adventure, betrayal, hard choices, and the hardest task of all--believing. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed by this one, and will be eager to read the third installment, Day of the Scarab. A cut above the usual story.

Running Out of Time

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Rating: 4 1/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

13 year old Jessie lives in the village of Clifton, Indiana in the year 1840. Her father is the blacksmith and her mom is the local midwife. It is an ordinary village, although Jessie wonders about some of the odd things that occasionally happen in town. Then people start falling ill; very ill. Even Jessie's little sister Katie is one of the sick. Then Jessie's mother pulls her aside and tells her the unthinkable. It is actually the year 1996 and Clifton is really an authentic 1800's tourist site filled with cameras and microphones so tourists can watch how people lived then. But something has gone horribly wrong with Clifton--no one is allowed to leave and the medicine and vaccinations promised for the villagers isn't forthcoming. People could even die. Jessie is to be sent for help to the outside world. Jessie's mother gives Jessie her old clothes--jeans and a t-shirt--money, and contact information for a Mr. Neely who will hopefully help them. Then Jessie is shown where she can sneak out into the tourist site complex and escape. Jessie must avoid the guards and people who want to keep Clifton the way it is and figure out how to live in the world of the future, filled with things she's never seen or heard of, like telephones, cars, skyscrapers, radios and photographs. This is an extremely exciting story, as Jessie struggles with who to trust and how to get the word out about what is happening in Clifton while trying to elude the bad guys. The pace is nonstop! Those who love a fast-paced adventure with moral dilemmas mixed in will eat up this book in one sitting! Read more about this author at this site.

Day of the Scarab

By Catherine Fisher
Rating: 4 1/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

In the final installment of The Oracle Prophecies (see reviews), Mirany is living in hiding in the tombs of the City of the Dead, with the help of the albino Kreon. The general Argelin has gone seemingly insane after the death of Hermia, the only woman he ever loved. He has set himself up as Archon and King of the Two Lands and hired mercenaries from the north to run the Port city, where things are harsher every day. The Emperor remains out at sea, wanting to attack but afraid of harming Prince Jamil who is being held hostage. Then Seth, Alexos, the Jackal and Oblek return from their pilgrimage in the desert. They also go into hiding except for Seth. Seth reports to Argelin that the others are dead and takes a job with Argelin so he can spy on him. Argelin is busy destroying images of the Rain Queen and planning something even more audacious--going to the Garden of the Rain Queen (the afterlife) and bringing Hermia back. But more factions are at work in the Port, including an evil sorceress named Manto and the leader of the northmen. There will be a journey into the Underworld, magic and mayhem, bravery and betrayal, and things destroyed as well as rebuilt. Fans of the series will not be disappointed with this well-plotted end to the tale, and only will wish it could have lasted longer.

Sea of Monsters

By Rick Riordan
Rating: 4 1/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

If you haven't started reading the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series yet, get started now! Readers will want to read the first book, The Lightning Thief (see review), to get a better grip on Percy Jackson's life, but in brief, Percy "Perseus" Jackson is the son of the sea god Poseidon and his human mother. The Greek gods of mythology aren't mythology at all--they are alive and well and still having kids! All of these "half-blood" kids are "heroes" like Hercules was and are able to see and fight the many monsters in the world. Percy survived a quest last summer with the help of his friends Grover and Annabeth. Now, a year later, Percy discovers that his summer haven, Camp Half-Blood, is under threat because someone has poisoned Thalia's protective tree. Percy is also having nightmares about Grover being captured by a Cyclopes. So Percy and Annabeth leave on a dual quest to rescue Grover and to retrieve the Golden Fleece--the only thing that might be able to cure Thalia's tree. They make new friends, run into enemies old and new, and face many challenges and battles on their quest. Anyone who likes nonstop action, a fun plot, and allusions to Greek mythology will thoroughly enjoy this story and look forward to more!

The Iron Brand

By Diego Vega as told to Jan Adkins
Rating: 3 3/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

For those of us who thoroughly enjoy the legendary hero Zorro, this book is the beginning of a new series called Young Zorro. We are introduced to Diego de la Vega and his best friend, Bernardo; both boys of 15 being raised on a California rancho. Bernardo's mother was killed when he was small and he has not spoken since, but he has been raised like a brother to Diego. There is a mystery afoot in the Pueblo de los Angeles. Skilled men--potters, blacksmiths, coopers--have been disappearing. Hundreds of cattle from various ranchos have also gone astray. The boys begin to gather clues that will reveal a murder and an evil plot and a chance to save the captives before they are taken beyond their reach. Anyone who knows anything about the legend of Zorro will recognize some of the names and the events that will shape Diego into the hero he will become. With the added plus of a rich historical backdrop of early California and the Spanish who settled it, readers will eagerly turn the pages of this quick story and look forward to more adventures. Fast-paced and fun!

Much Ado About Grubstake

By Jean Ferris
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Young Arley runs the boarding house in the town of Grubstake, Colorado in 1888. Grubstake is slowly dying as the mines give up less and less gold all the time to their owners. Arley ekes out a meager living taking care of the 4 miners who live in her boarding house, and spends the rest of her time reading Penny Dreadfuls--stories of adventure that seem far away from her real life. Then a stranger named Charles Randall comes to town with an offer to buy up all the mines and to turn the town into a resort. The Grubs can hardly believe their luck! But Arley is suspicious--who would want to turn Grubstake into a resort? When another stranger named Morgan, dressed all in black and riding a black horse, appears to stay at the boarding house and poke around, it is as if her Penny Dreadfuls are coming to life. Arley is convinced Morgan and Randall are in cahoots, and that they are after something more than creating a new resort town. But it will take more than some simple snooping to uncover the plot, and even more gumption than Arley knew she had to stand up for her friends and her town. If you like a fun adventure story, where the good guys are good (although perhaps a bit peculiar), bad guys are really bad, and some bad guys can even become good guys (with a little persuasion), you'll love this one! Join Arley and the gang as they overcome all odds in fine full western style. You won't be sorry you came along for the ride. If you enjoy this story, you should also definitely read Love Among the Walnuts and Once Upon a Marigold, also by Jean Ferris.

Lionboy: The Truth

By Zizou Corder
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

You definitely need to have read the first two books in the Lionboy trilogy: Lionboy and Lionboy: The Chase to follow and appreciate the last book, but it is well worth it! To briefly recap (and not spoil too much), we meet Charlie and his parents sometime in the future of the planet Earth. Charlie was scratched by a leopard as a baby and somehow developed the ability to speak and understand all species of cat. His parents are scientists who have just discovered, they hope, a cure to the Allergenies--basically a severe allergy to cats. However, Charlie's parents get kidnapped by the evil Corporacy and Charlie, narrowly escaping capture himself, sets off to find and rescue them. What follows is an amazing adventure, spanning several countries and including many characters and villains. Charlie's ability as a Catspeaker enables him to recruit cats to aid him in the rescue mission, which includes some circus lions as well as ordinary house cats. Charlie travels with a circus for awhile, meets a king, and has many fabulous and dangerous adventures. You'll have to read the books to find out if he manages to rescue his parents, solve the mystery of the Allergenies, and help the lions get back home, but you'll want to! I have read few books that were as fun and inventive as these, written by a mother and daughter team. This last book is as satisfying as the first two. If you like adventures, animals, good characters, and good versus evil, you'll enjoy the Lionboy trilogy.

The Lightning Thief

By Rick Riordan
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

If you wished that the gods of Greek mythology were still around, this is the book for you! Percy is a troubled 6th grader who discovers that all the trouble that swirls around him isn't all his fault--he is actually a "Hero" and a son of Poseidon! His newest best friend, Grover, turns out to be a satyr who is trying to keep him from getting killed before he reaches the safe camp where other kids sired by the gods live and await their quests. At present, Percy is being framed for stealing Zeus' famed thunderbolt, and must set off on a quest with Grover and Annabeth, a daughter of Athena, in tow. Other mythological creatures try to stop the quest before it even starts, and Percy has to figure out who really stole the thunderbolt before an all out war between Zeus and Hades takes place. If you like nonstop adventure with the cleverness of Greek mythology mixed into our modern day lives, you'd love this book! This is the first book in the series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Find out about this book, book two, and Greek mythology at Rick Riordan's site.

Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City

By Kirsten Miller
Rating: 3 3/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Ananka is not too pretty, not too popular, and fairly bored with life. Then one day she spots a giant sinkhole in the park across the street and a girl climbing out of it. Curious, Ananka climbs into the sinkhole herself to find a trapdoor into some deep tunnels. It is the Shadow City, an entire network of tunnels and businesses and rooms underneath the city of New York. Soon, Ananka is contacted by Kiki Strike, the girl she saw come out of the sinkhole, and they recruit 4 other teenaged girls with special skills--forgery and lockpicking, chemistry, mechanics, disguise--to form the Irregulars. With the Irregulars, Ananka finally finds some friends and learns some valuable life skills. Together, the Irregulars explore and map the Shadow City until a disaster causes an injury to one member of the team and for suspicion to fall upon Kiki Strike. Why did she bring them all together in the first place? What was her real reason for exploring the Shadow City? Is Kiki a friend or an enemy? The Irregulars fall apart, but soon they come back together when they find their city threatened by possible terrorists and that nothing is what it seems, not even Kiki Strike. An unbelievable but fun story of 6 very strong, smart girls and their adventures below and above ground. Although the story runs a little long in parts, girls dreaming of becoming spies will love this one.