Winnie is has turned 13 and her world is very different than it used to be. She has two best friends, Cinnamon and Diana. She also has a boyfriend, La...moreWinnie is has turned 13 and her world is very different than it used to be. She has two best friends, Cinnamon and Diana. She also has a boyfriend, Lars, who is a year older. But complications quickly enter into Winnie's world. Her mother is pregnant and Lars is drifting away. Can Winnie hold it all together?
This is another solid entry in the Winnie Perry series by Lauren Myracle. Her ability to capture the voice of a thirteen year-old girl is amazing. And not just the main protagonist, Winnie. Myracle populates this book with girls that we all recognize, the bold Cinnamon, the shy Diana, as well as the goth (and former Winnie BFF) Amanda.
Myracle also doesn't sugar coat the life. Some of the girls in Winnie's peer group are attending parties with liquor and sex. Winnie acknowledges that her mother mother being pregnant means that her parents have sex. And peers, even BFFs, don't always treat each other well. But through it all, Winnie is the strong, enchanting young woman we have all come to love. She makes honest mistakes, ones that are easily identifiable to the reader, but she also makes strong choices that show her independence and strength.
A great book with short synopsis of a wide variety of books for teens. So many, that as many others have said before, you realize how many you have le...moreA great book with short synopsis of a wide variety of books for teens. So many, that as many others have said before, you realize how many you have left to read. While I question the inclusion of some of the titles (which are dated or not really teen books), this is still a book that school and public libraries should have as a reference to help young people find that next great book.
This collection of stories of famous swindles and cons is an excellent book for the a vast swatch of the Junior/Intermediate population. Students will...moreThis collection of stories of famous swindles and cons is an excellent book for the a vast swatch of the Junior/Intermediate population. Students will be saying, "Really?" "No way!" as they go through each event. It helps that is was written by Andreas Schroeder, who loves his material and, as a radio journalist, has an easy to read style.
Emily has finally arrived at the hidden city of Cielis, but instead of a haven and answers, she finds a city shrouded in fear and suspicion. Meanwhile...moreEmily has finally arrived at the hidden city of Cielis, but instead of a haven and answers, she finds a city shrouded in fear and suspicion. Meanwhile, another stonekeeper is revealed, one that finally might be of help to Emily, Navin and their friends.
This volume is far more Emily centred than others in this series, as she faces the challenges of the Guardian Council. The rest of fan favourites are spear carriers and because of this, this volume may be less appealing to the male readers.
Hopefully this will be cured in the next volume, because Kibuishi has done some amazing world building here and it is worth reading.(less)
Leah's never known her father. Not because he left her mother before she was born, but rather because her mother was artificially inseminated by donor...moreLeah's never known her father. Not because he left her mother before she was born, but rather because her mother was artificially inseminated by donor sperm from a man she never met. And for most of Leah's life, that's been fine. Even with her mom marrying her stepdad and having a kid. But then they move into the city, and Leah starts to wonder about her donor and if there are others like her around. This sets her off on a quest for information, one that leads her to start to hive off her life into sections, never sharing everything with anyone. But when the cracks begin to show, Leah must find a way to reconcile this new part of her with the rest of her life. Can she get her mom to understand her need for information?
Author Courtney Sheinmel has twinned the age old teenage search for identity with the modern reality of artificial insemination. She has done so with humanity, rather than sensationalism. Readers will identify with the sense of isolation that Leah feels, because as one character points out, we all have something that makes us less than perfect, that sets us out from the group. This means that we all can understand each other's pain, even if we have never gone through the specifics.
Katie is excited about moving to middle school. She knows everything will be fine because she is going with the kids she went to elementary school wit...moreKatie is excited about moving to middle school. She knows everything will be fine because she is going with the kids she went to elementary school with, including her best friend Callie.
But then, over the summer, Callie has made friends with a bunch of girls obsessed with fashion and being popular and seems to want nothing to do with Katie. Katie's locker also appears to be out to get her and she gets caught texting on her cellphone the first day of school. On top of it, it appears that Callie's new friends are intent on putting her down every chance they get.
Things start looking up when Katie makes friends with Mia, Emma and Alexis. Starting off as lunch buddies, they quickly bond over a love of cupcakes, christening themselves "The Cupcake Club". When the first school dance is twinned with a fundraiser, the girls see a chance to finally beat the popular girls and claim their place in middle school.
And ok late junior, early middle school book. Girls will enjoy it, but there is nothing new here.(less)
A bear sets out to find his missing hat, asking all the animals along the way if they have seen it. Though their answers vary wildly, but none have se...moreA bear sets out to find his missing hat, asking all the animals along the way if they have seen it. Though their answers vary wildly, but none have seen it. The bear is despondent, until he suddenly remembers where he has seen the hat. This sets up a confrontation that suddenly reveals to the reader how deliberately funny this book is.
Do not be turned off by the illustrations, eventually you will see that they match the text perfectly. Do pay attention to the text, both what the author is saying and how he has chosen to portray it on the pages.
This is a great book to teach inferencing but to an older crowd.(less)
Jaime Kelly is back, and this time she is having problems with her pants. They seem to be forcing her to do embarrassing things. Like break wind near...moreJaime Kelly is back, and this time she is having problems with her pants. They seem to be forcing her to do embarrassing things. Like break wind near the eighth cutest guy at school, who is also her secret crush. This leads Jaime on a tip involving angry beagles, switching lab partners, perfume experiments and makeovers. And all of it is told through the sarcastic commentary and hilarious illustrations of Jaime's diary. Which we are not supposed to be reading.
This is a wonderful sequel to the original that most girls will enjoy.(less)
Emma has a lot on her plate. She is a member of the Cupcake Club. She has to look after her little brother, even more now that her mother has taken a...moreEmma has a lot on her plate. She is a member of the Cupcake Club. She has to look after her little brother, even more now that her mother has taken a night job after a layoff. She walks dogs to earn money to use to buy things she wants. She plays the flute and maintains good grades.
Emma thinks that she can keep it all going by herself. She can't let her friends know that her family is suffering financially. And she cannot let her family know that she is starting to find it too much to bear. So when Mia's mom announces that Emma and the rest of the Cupcake Club are to be junior bridesmaids at her upcoming wedding, her carefully balanced world starts to come apart.
The third volume of this series is not as good the second one. Still it will appeal to a certain type of girl reader.(less)
Katie-Rose, Violet, Milla, and Yasaman are back for another round of blogging, videos, chats and text messages. This time they face the problems jealo...moreKatie-Rose, Violet, Milla, and Yasaman are back for another round of blogging, videos, chats and text messages. This time they face the problems jealousy, a mentally ill parent, crushes, hamster death and a fight for healthier food. All while trying to stay friends.
Myracle once again proves she has an ear for the voices of the tween set. She also knows how to integrate new technology into her writing without it being a gimmick. These two facts make up for the fact that the story takes a bit to get going and some parts are a little implausible.
Who can resist a collection of short stories called Zombies vs Unicorns? Really? Who? Not I.
The short story collection is edited by Holly Black and Ju...moreWho can resist a collection of short stories called Zombies vs Unicorns? Really? Who? Not I.
The short story collection is edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier. Each editor is the head of a "team", Black with "Team Unicorn" and Larbalestier with "Team Zombie" poised to fight via the short stories to prove which is greater, the unicorn or the zombie. The collection is laid out with first a unicorn story then a zombie story. Each story is prefaced with an exchange between the editors of how this story does or does not prove their point.
With most collections of short story there are some duds hidden within the gems. Not so with this collection. In my opinion, the unicorn side is stronger, with more diverse offerings, but no story in this collection is a throw away.
Callie loves theater. So much, that she joins the tech club at her local junior high school. There she builds sets, helps run the backstage and genera...moreCallie loves theater. So much, that she joins the tech club at her local junior high school. There she builds sets, helps run the backstage and generally has a blast with her friends. So when a new year brings new members, including to cute brothers, she can't help but get pulled into the drama.
As a huge fan of Raina's first book, Smile, I was predisposed to like this books from the start. But then when I read it, I fell in love. The story spoke to me so much. I was on the tech crew in High School, so I immediately identified with Callie and the camaraderie that happens back stage. I also got the falling in love with boys that would prove to be unreachable in so many ways.
This is a great work that should be on every middle school library shelf. BRILLIANT!!!!(less)
Ubalstecha
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