The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M. T. Anderson (Candlewick)
Boston, 1775: Octavian “commences a life of hazard” (not to mention irony), choosing to fight with the British, who promise him freedom, against the Sons of Liberty, who would keep him enslaved. But war is chaos, and freedom elusive. The novel’s epic sweep lets Anderson re-examine assumed historical truths and explore — excruciating, heartbreakingly — the human condition. Review 9/08. (High School)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic)
In not-too-distant-future America, twenty-four teenagers must compete in a brutal (and televised) annual contest from which only one will emerge alive. Protagonist Katniss, a strong contender, dares to question the games and, consequently, everything about her society. The plot’s twists and turns are addictive in this compulsively readable nailbiter. Review 9/08. (Middle School, High School)
The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd (Fickling/Random)
Twelve-year-old Ted, who has Asperger’s syndrome, and his older sister (and nemesis) Kat team up to solve their cousin Salim’s disappearance, seemingly into thin air. Through meticulously embedded clues and brilliantly executed twists, this character-centered mystery reaches an explanation both age-appropriate and genuinely fraught with danger. Review 5/08. (Intermediate, Middle School)
The Graveyard Book written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean (HarperCollins)
A toddler escapes the murder of his family by “the man Jack” but is pursued by ominous forces throughout his childhood, which he spends in the local graveyard as the adopted son of kindly ghosts. Creepy, bittersweet, and action-filled, this unconventional ghost story, enhanced with dark fairy-tale motifs, is as accessible as it is accomplished. Review 11/08. (Middle School, High School)
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (Knopf)
A parallel magical world free of aggression becomes a haven for
fifteen-year-old Liga, mother of two girls, both conceived by rape. But over time, strangers breach her new home and lead her and her daughters back to a richer life in the real world. This extraordinary tale of healing is resonant with mythic imagery and masterful prose. Review 9/08. (High School)
Forever Rose by Hilary McKay (McElderry)
In the final installment of the Casson family saga, eleven-year-old Rose feels left out as older sibs Caddy, Saffy, and Indigo increasingly lead their own lives. The hectic but beautifully orchestrated plot includes triumphs, challenges, and two startling surprises. McKay delights us once again with her hilarious mayhem and entirely unsentimental celebration of kindness. Review 5/08. (Intermediate)
Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls (Levine/Scholastic)
Eleven-year-old Sam, dying of leukemia, documents the final four months of his life and his pursuit of eight goals, from being a teenager to seeing Earth from space. Grappling with spirituality and family relationships, Sam is a fully authentic, vividly alive character whose story elicits remarkable heights of joy and depths of grief — often simultaneously. Review 1/09. (Intermediate)
Nation by Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins)
Two civilizations meet when a tsunami shipwrecks an English vessel on a small tropical island; a British girl and a native boy are the sole survivors. In Pratchett’s microcosm, all assumptions — about religion, imperialism, justice, even civilization itself — are open to question. Pratchett’s signature humor and imaginative powers are much in evidence. Review 9/08. (Middle School, High School)
The Last of the High Kings by Kate Thompson (Greenwillow)
J.J. Liddy (from The New Policeman) is now grown, with children of his own — who must save the world from an ancient threat. Thompson’s adeptness at blending realism, fantasy, and Celtic myth is matched only by her remarkable fluency in shifting tones, from comic to folkloric to heroic. Review 5/08. (Intermediate, Middle School)
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