Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern

Jessie is a pretty intelligent girl. She has always enjoyed school, even if her two best friends are not exactly honors students. As she approaches the beginning of her sophomore year of high school, she also starts to realize that maybe her best friends aren't who she thought they were...all summer they drag her along so they have an excuse to hang out with Jessie's brother's punk bandmates. She is forced to spend many evenings at Denny's inhaling second-hand smoke.

While she likes her brother, and has a hopeless crush on his band's drummer, Van, the resident playboy. Apparently, so does Jessie's best friend Bizza, to Jessie's dismay. When Bizza and Char show up for the first day of school all punked out, complete with Bizza's shaved head, she starts to question how much they really have in common anymore. Her summer hobby was creating a new skirt for every day of the school year, and she has arrived in her "pencils and rulers" number for the first day...her friends hardly notice, too busy being caught up in their own transformations.

As an honors student, Jessie has some class friends that seem to notice more than her supposed best friends. In English, Polly tells her about the guy she met at band camp. At lunch, her crush Van randomly takes her to lunch (and asks her to pay for it), causing serious confusion in Jessieland. In study hall, Dottie is the resident Dungeons and Dragons geek. She seems to be surrounded by two very different worlds...

Things only get worse later than day when Bizza shows up hand-in-hand with Van, and can't wait to tell Jessie that they "made out! Aahhh! Isn't he so scrumptious?" What kind of a friend steals your crush? Things seem to be getting out of control, fast. Didn't Van go to lunch with her that same day?

When Jessie tells her brother Barrett about the latest Van victim, it seems to be the final straw, and the band breaks up. Jessie starts looking for friends in unexpected places, and it turns out maybe geeks aren't as bad as she thought.

"...I feel good that I have definite plans for Friday night. That jerky voice in my head pipes up before I can stop it and says, You're going to play Dungeons and Dragons with a bunch of nerds on a Friday night? Are those really the kind of new friends you want to be making? I glance over at Dottie, who flashes me the thumbs-up. Am I ready for this to be my new social life?" (Halpern pg. 106, 2009).

If you liked this, check out:

Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern
Notes from the Dog by Gary Paulsen
An Off Year by Claire Zulkey

Halpern, Julie. (2009). Into the Wild Nerd Yonder. Harrisonburg, VA: R.R. Donnelly and Sons Company.

Wake by Lisa McMann

At first thought it might seem cool to be able to see into other people's dreams, until you realize that you'll have to be subjected to dreams of the football captain's fears of coming to school naked.... Janie knows just how boring and embarrassing it can be to get stuck in someone else's dream...since it happens to her every day.

Janie's mom is an alcoholic, and never really cared much about what she did, or what happens to her. When she was 14, Janie got a part-time job at a nursing home to make some money. Her mom would forget to buy food if Janie didn't do it, let alone buying her clothes. She only really has one friend, Carrie, who lives next door. But Carrie doesn't know the truth, that Janie's a freak who can't control when she'll be witnessing someone else's deep-dark thoughts.

Cadel isn't new, he's always been around. It's just that recently he's become more interesting, or rather...more attractive? One night he offers her a ride home on his skateboard. They don't say anything along the way, and they don't really talk at all until the day Janie gives him a ride to school. She's assigned to sit next to him in class, and can't help seeing his dream of monsters and kissing her all together.

She tells herself she can't get involved, that he would never understand, that even SHE doesn't understand, but he won't leave her alone. They take a class trip on a bus, and all the dreams around her bombard her into a frenzy. Sitting next to Cadel, she can't do anything but ask him not to tell anyone. He holds her until they stop. She knows he'll never want to talk to her again, until he's there, at her hotel room door, asking to hear her story.

He listens, he even believes her, and it's her and Cadel...the relief and affection overwhelming her. But can she really trust him? Maybe he isn't who she thinks he is...

"But there is no one else. No one else but the monster-man with finger-knives, and Janie. Until the door opens, and a middle-aged man appears. He walks through Janie. The chair, sailing in slow motion, grows knives from its legs.
The car misses a mailbox.
It strikes the middle-aged man in the chest and head. His head is sliced clean off and it rolls around on the floor in a circle.
The car comes to rest in a shallow drainage ditch in the front yard of a tiny, unkempt house.
Janie stares at the large young man with knives for fingers. He walks to the dead man's head and kicks it like a soccer ball. It crashes loudly through the window and there is a blinding flash of light-" (McMann pg. 49, 2008).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Fade by Lisa McMann (Book 2 in the series)
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

McMann, Lisa. (2008). Wake. New York: Simon Pulse.

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

My birthday is in April, and I decided to focus on several of my recent favorite titles in honor of being one year older. I am a huge fan of good writing, but no book is worth reading without a good plot! Check out these selections for something a little outside the norm, but definetely worth a look. Something for mystery lovers, music lovers, and all those awkward in the ways of love :)

Times are hard, and Nathaniel's parents decide to give him up for adoption to the magician's adoption service, in return for a reward. Nathaniel is a clever boy, and he has great plans of ambition and magical prowess. Sadly, he is doomed to be apprenticed under Mr. Underwood. His master is a lowly governmental employee working for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Nathaniel is Mr. Underwood's first apprentice, and their ideas of what young magicians should do differs dramatically. Mr. Underwood forbids Nathaniel from learning any advanced magic, reading any advanced texts, learning anything outside what he deems "safe" or "age-appropriate". Nathaniel would rather excel at his own pace, and sets on a course to prove his worth.

One fateful day, he meets Simon Lovelace, a high ranking magician who scorns him, embarrasses him, and subsequently uses magic against him maliciously. Nathaniel loses his temper, and attempts to strike back. He is put in his place, and his favorite tutor is dismissed as punishment. That day, Nathaniel vows revenge...

To put his plan in motion, Nathaniel must summon a djinni - something very few magicians (especially of his age) are capable of doing. He summons Bartimaeus to be his slave, and to steal a valuable object from Simon Lovelace. Little does he know what he is involving himself in. Soon, he and Bartimaeus are on an adventure that neither expected. Bartimaeus is captured, and is in serious danger of revealing his master and his task. Will he escape from his captors?

Meanwhile, Lovelace comes to seek his stolen item, which turns out to be a valuable government artifact that protects the wearer from magic. The Amulet of Samarkand came to Lovelace after it was stolen by one of his accomplices. Nathaniel must defend himself against Lovelace's attacks, and somehow discover and stop his plan. Bartimaeus is an unwilling, but very capable sidekick. The djinni provides humor, and delves into old rivalries himself along the way.

Very enjoyable text for any fantasy lover, or adventure lover. I recommend the audio book, read by Simon Jones (who also reads the other two books in the series).

That did it. I'd gone through a lot in the past few days. Everyone I met seemed to want a piece of me: djinn, magicians, humans...it made no difference. I'd been summoned, manhandled, shot at, captured, constricted, bossed about and generally taken for granted. And now, to cap it all, this bloke is joining in too, when all I'd been doing was quietly trying to kill him. (Stroud, 2002).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud (Book 2 in the Bartimaeus Trilogy)
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Mister Monday by Garth Nix (Keys to the Kingdom series)

Stroud, Jonathan. (2002). The Amulet of Samarkand. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

Stroud, Jonathan and Jones, Simon. (2004). The Amulet of Samarkand. New York: Random House/Listening Library.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Miranda is a latch key kid, meaning she has a key to let her into the house after school. All her life she's been best friends with the boy upstairs, Sal. Something happens that changes everything, and starts her on a mysterious journey to "save a friend's life."

It all started the day Sal got punched. One day as they walked home from school, this random kid walked up to Sal and punched him, for no reason! Next thing Miranda knows, Sal doesn't want to be friends anymore. As luck would have it, one of the girls in her class suddenly needs someone to sit next to at lunch, and they strike up a friendship. Annemarie is someone she can depend on to be there, and the two of them serve as a source of strength for each other.

Miranda comes home one day to find the door to the apartment unlocked. Nothing seems to have been taken, and it seems maybe they forgot to lock it before they left, until Miranda finds the first note in a library book. It says (among other things), "I am coming to save your friend's life, and my own," (Stead pg. 60, 2009). She finds the second note a few days later, asking her to tell a story and to keep these notes to herself. Is someone watching her? What is going on?

It turns out the boy who punched Sal goes to her school! She runs into him while running errands for the school dentist. His name is Marcus, and he seems like a pretty weird (if really smart) kid. They talk about A Wrinkle in Time, her all-time favorite book, and time travel, but she still doesn't understand what his connection to Sal is...or why he punched him.

The third note offers proof that the note writer can predict the future. Is that even possible? Miranda starts to get really confused, but she can't deny the validity of the note's claims. Everything happens just as predicted. She isn't sure what is going on. Her mom is chosen to participate on The $20,000 Pyramid, and Miranda is preoccupied with helping her prepare. She doesn't know what will happen, or why, but as events start to unfold, the ending is unexpected and truly fitting.

Beautifully written, this title received the Newberry Medal for 2010. Great for mystery lovers, reluctant readers, and fans of time travel.

"M,
This is hard. Harder than I expected, even with your help. But I have been practicing, and my preparations go well. I am coming to save your friend's life,
and my own.
I ask two favors.
First, you must write me a letter.
Second, please remember to mention the location of your house key.
The trip is a difficult one. I will not be myself when I reach you," (Stead pg. 60, 2009).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone

Stead, Rebecca. (2009). When You Reach Me. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books (Random House).

How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

Beatrice has lived all over the country. She and her mother follow her father as he strives for academic excellence as a university professor. She has learned not to get too attached to the kids at each school. That only makes it harder to leave, so she tells herself not to care. One year and she's off to college anyway. Until she meets Jonah. Everyone else may call him Ghost Boy, but her own mother calls her a robot. How bad can he be?
He turns her on to a local radio show, the Night Light Show with Herb Horvath. How did he know she fell asleep to a radio show every night in her last town? They slowly begin to build a friendship that crosses traditional boundaries. They search for Jonah's twin brother who he discovers didn't die all those years ago. They discuss how weird Bea's mom is getting. They work on the yearbook together, and they listen to the radio every night.

When things start to fall apart with Jonah's brother, and Bea's parents, will they find a way to save each other? Sometimes you have to let the ones you love go. A touching story about two awkward teens who find a common ground. They learn how to love, how to let someone else in, how to grow in the face of tragedy, and they do it with a sincerity that sometimes breaks your heart.

"Is there or isn't there what? How do you define a boyfriend? If a boyfriend is the first person you think about when you wake up in the morning and the last face you see before you fall asleep, then I was in love with Jonah. But if a boyfriend had to involve physical chemistry and kissing and sex and stuff, then, no he wasn't that.

'It's too complicated for yes or no,' I said," (Standiford pg. 103, 2009).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Lost It by Kristen Tracy
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan

Standiford, Natalie. (2009). How to Say Goodbye in Robot. Scholastic Press: New York, NY.

The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz

Allie is a music snob, unabashedly and unforgivingly. In fact, she is a princess of vinyl. She works at Bob & Bob Records, and writes her own music blog as the "Vinyl Princess". Her best friend works down the street, and Allie is set for a laid back summer. She starts crushing on a mystery guy who comes into the store.

It's a typical summer for Allie, with her mom starting to date again (shudder), her best friend dragging her along to spy on her boyfriend, and a string of unsolved robberies on the street she works. AND her dad just told her he's having a baby with his new wife! Or wait...maybe that isn't so typical.

M, ("mystery guy") she learns, is actually named Joel. He even asks her out for coffee after coming in to buy cds one day. Maybe things are starting to look up for Allie after all? She's still in high school, is it too much to ask for romance to find her? Some dorky kid Zach starts coming into the store, and even complimenting her Vinyl Princess zine she's been printing and bringing to work.

One night, after Allie is closing without Bob, they get held up. Thank goodness, no one is hurt. They just turn over the money, and call the police. But Allie thinks she knows who one of them might be...should she tell the police? What should she do? She finally gets home...and finds another disaster, courtesy of her best friend. After such a long week, who can blame her for forgetting to listen to the mix that Zach made her? I mean, really?

Will the Vinyl Princess achieve success in life, love, AND in cyberspace?This is an honest, quick read, with well developed characters, and of course, kick ass music references. Highly recommended for any music lover.

"...I'm what people in the record store business refer to as a 'throwback,' an 'audiophile,' a 'record geek.' Secretly, though, I'm the Vinyl Princess. My knowledge of music is encyclopedic. Before I got this job, I spent more time in this store than Bob's employees. I owned a decent turntable by the time I was seven and by the time I was twelve my vinyl collection had swelled to nine hundred albums," (Prinz pg. 9, 2010).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Double Dare Clare by Yvonne Prinz
King Dork by Frank Portman
Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers

Prinz, Yvonne. (2010). The Vinyl Princess. New York: HarperTeen (HarperCollins).

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

March Mysteries

I have been a mystery fan for all of my life. As a young teen, I devoured Agatha Christie novels. These are all aimed more for teen audiences, and include elements that will appeal to this audience. One is historical fiction, and includes some interesting aspects of life after WWII, one has an online component to continue the mystery, and of course, who could forget vampires?

Reynie may not have what most people consider to be an ideal life. He lives in an orphanage, being an orphan, and gets picked on for being so smart. His only friend is his tutor Miss Perumal, and for that he is very grateful. One day he reads an advertisement in the paper asking for gifted youth to come and take a test. Intrigued by the prospect, Reynie goes to the task with his usual intelligence. Several strange things happen during the course of his multi-level tests, like meeting a girl with green hair who offers him the answers to the test...but he decides to take his chances.

Much to his surprise, he is one of only four children chosen to be on the team! Along with Kate, Constance, and "Sticky" the team meets Mr. Benedict. He's quite the character, suffering from narcolepsy (always falling asleep in the middle of things) especially when he laughs. He always wears green plaid suits, and his genius is responsible for giving the team the chance they now have to stop the impending disaster. Mr. Benedict tells them of the hidden messages being sent out by the aptly named Mr. Curtain. It seems Mr. Curtain has far more sinister intentions than simply running a school for the gifted. It is this school, Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, that the children must infiltrate to learn what they can about the impending nefarious plan.

The four together are very resourceful, Reynie being a thinking, Sticky is the brains, Kate is the muscle, and Constance...well, Constance is stubborn. After beginning at the new school, the kids are faced with some hard truths. For instance, Mr. Curtain seems to be Mr. Benedict's twin! Using Morse Code, they are able to communicate what they have learned back to Mr. Benedict and his team. They learn how the secret messages are being transmitted by using students, and discover his ultimate evil plan: to become M.A.S.T.E.R., "Minister and Secretary of all The Earth's Regions". It is only through quick thinking, teamwork, and a good amount of luck that the kids are able to avoid danger and detection. Will they be able to stop him in time?

Fantastically whimsical, well written, excellent illustrations by Carter Ellis, and a mystery that will draw in anyone with a quizzical mind. Highly recommended, I can't wait to read the sequels.

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

Stewart, Trenton Lee. (2007). The Mysterious Benedict Society. Little, Brown and Co.: New York, NY.