Drama

Drama

by Raina Telgemeier

 

Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon Over Mississippi, she's a terrible singer. Instead she's the set designer for the stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen, and when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier! (description from Amazon.com)

 

I have to admit, I'm not a huge graphic novel reader and that's partly because I have a little bit of trouble following the panels in the manga style ones.  I do, however, occasionally find some graphic novels that I truly adore and both of Raina Telgemeier's fall into this category.

 

I love the colors, the drawing styles and they are easy to follow!  While her first one, Smile, was somewhat autobiographical, Drama is just a cool middle school story.  Callie loves theater and wants to become a set designer someday for Broadway.  Seeing her passion made me think back about all the plays and musicals I've seen and how important the stage set can actually be...

 

I also loved seeing her embrace her passion and not be ashamed at all of being into a "dorky" club.  It was great to see all the drama "geeks." I was once a drama geek so I loved that connection! Callie's friends each had their own passion and none of them hesitated to do the very best they could in their own facet of the show. 

 

The friendships and crushes seemed very realistic and reminiscent of how I remember feeling about people and interacting with them in my own middle school years.  I also loved that Telgemeier addressed homosexuality in a very easy manner, making it not the focus of the story, but just a natural part of Callie's day to day experience. 

 

I really thought this was a great read that left me smiling. I would love to read more about Callie and her friends.  

 



Full disclosure: Borrowed from my library

Mini Reviews: The Growing Up Graphic Novels Edition

Meet Lou! She's hardly your average 12 year old. Her handmade outfits are the talk of the school (even though they make the other girls laugh), and her homework gets a lot of attention from her teachers (even though it lands her in the shrink's office). Home sweet home is an apartment she shares with her couch-potato mom and a cat named Cat. At least she can pour her heart out to her best friend, Mina, and scribble her dreams in her secret diary.

 

Secret Diary

by Julien Neel



Lou! series, book one

Now that she's almost a teenager, Lou's life is becoming even more interesting. Playing with dolls has lost its appeal and the boy across the street gets cuter every day. The new neighbor, Richard, just might be the perfect match for Lou's mom. But will Lou or her mom ever pluck up their courage and actually talk to their crushes? (description from Amazon.com)


This was a very cute series starter.  Though the cover art makes it look a little on the young side, this would actually be a great choice to hand to tween girl readers.  Lou and her mom have a wonderful relationship! They tackle life, love, and the pursuit of happiness together.

Summertime Blues

by Julien Neel

Lou! series, book two

 

Summertime is here! But there's no sun, surf, or sand for Lou. Instead, it's Brussels sprouts, mud, and mosquitoes. Lou and her mom are off to spend the summer with Memaw in the most boring town on earth. Lou's mom keeps busy by exchanging love letters with her new sweetheart, Richard, but Lou's crush, Tristan, only sends her a lousy postcard. Will meeting a new boy chase Lou's blues away? Paul's not exactly a heartthrob, but he's sweet and . . . unusual. He's nothing like Tristan, but could he be just as crush-worthy? (description from Amazon.com)

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Book two continues this cute series into the summer. Both Lou and her mom are totally bummed out, but they stick together.  I loved the addition of Memaw into their relationship and think they actually have a really strong family unit.  I can't wait to see what's in store for them all next...

He's a teen, he's a boat...He's TeenBoat!!

Teen Boat!

by Dave Roman

ill. by John Green

 

High school can be a time of terrible angst—Fs on tests, bullying jerks, broken hearts,
and late-stage puberty are just some of the potential issues that all teen boys face. But
what about the issues facing a Teen Boat? In this hilarious send-up of teen story tropes,
the best-selling author Dave Roman and the cartoonist John Green deliver high school
and high seas drama with a boatload of laughs. (description from Amazon.com)

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This book made me laugh out loud! It was funny and quick, out there, yet totally dealing with normal everyday teen issues, too.  I loved all the Dawson's Creek references, too. LOL.

Full disclosure: Lou series books borrowed from my library, Teen Boat borrowed through interlibrary loan

The Sleuth or Dare Series

Partners in Crime
by Kim Harrington

When best friends Darcy and Norah have to create a fake business for a school assignment, they come up with a great idea: a detective agency! Darcy loves mysteries, and Norah likes helping people, so it's a perfect fit.

But then their pretend agency gets a real case. Someone is missing, and it's up to Darcy and Norah to take on the search. Unfortunately, there's someone else out there who doesn't want the two detectives stirring up any trouble. . . .

With the help of hidden clues, spy gadgets, and trusted friends, can Darcy and Norah crack the case in time?

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Sleepover Stakeout
by Kim Harrington

Norah and Darcy's detective agency, Partners in Crime, is taking on new and chilling case. The girls' classmate, Maya, is hearing strange, crackling voices coming over the baby monitor while she's babysitting late at night. Maya is worried someone might be in danger.

To help investigate, Norah and Darcy join her for a sleepover stakeout. In between eating snacks and watching TV, the girls are on high alert for anything suspicious. Soon, they stumble upon a mysterious secret they never could have imagined - but Norah and Darcy clash over how to interpret the new clues.

Can the girls get past their differences to see their way to the truth?

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Framed and Dangerous

by Kim Harrington 

 

Norah and Darcy are still in a fight, but crime doesn't stop just because the girls aren't speaking. Someone has set fire to their school's brand-new field house. And the prime suspect is Zane Munro, the cute boy Norah can't help crushing on.

When Zane asks Partners in Crime for help, Norah and Darcy must band together to investigate. Norah knows Zane is innocent, but the clues are not in his favor. Can she and Darcy mend their friendship, crack the case, and clear Zane's name before it's too late? (all descriptions taken from Amazon.com)

 

I decided to review this whole series together as they are small chapter books and it seemed a little silly to review each alone... anyway, I loved this series!  I was so happy to read about two SMART girls who are somewhat popular and nice and just have a great time doing what they love. 

 

Norah is an astronomy geek (me in high school!) and Darcy is a computer genius obsessed with CSI type TV shows.  Together, they not only celebrate their dorkiness, but they also make one heck of a deductive crime-solving team.  Following their investigations was fun and exciting. 

 

I loved that even though they have rough spots in their best-friendship, they work to stay friends.  They let others into their lives and in fact grow quite the little group around them, but it always comes back to Norah and Darcy, Darcy and Norah. 

 

These books were fun, easy to read, geektastic, and had great mysteries. I'm hoping that someday the series continues!  For now, though, I'm happy with where things ended, too...

 

Full disclosure: Books 1 & 2 purchased and signed by the author at a book event at The Otis Library in Norwich, CT. Book 3 borrowed through interlibrary loan.

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The Fear

The Fear

by Charlie Higson

The Enemy, book three

The sickness struck everyone sixteen and over. Mothers and fathers, older brothers, sisters, and best friends. No one escaped its touch. And now children across London are being hunted by ferocious grown-ups who are hungry, bloodthirsty, and not giving up.

DogNut and the rest of his crew, in search of the friends they lost during the fire, set off on a deadly mission from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace and beyond, as the sickos lie in wait. But who are their friends and who is the enemy in this changed world? (description from Amazon.com)

Sigh. I hated this book. I hate saying that, but it was all I could do to get through the almost five hundred pages. Normally, I LOVE zombie books, but this series just seems gross. It was well written, the storyline was good, but Higson does not at all shy away from a. killing characters off all over the place and b. vividly describing the affects of the disease on adults.  Also, I couldn't stand the chapters that were from the perspective of the now cannibalistic adults. 

So. If you like horror and dark, vivid descriptions of violence and death, I would suggest you check out this series. If you like zombie books, though, for the interactions between the surviving humans...you may want to skip this one.  Half the main characters don't officially make it and a lot of the story is focused on the the horrible zombie attacks...

Full disclosure: Copy received to review for VOYA

Mini Reviews: The "Who-Dun-It?" edition

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin

by Josh Berk

Being a hefty, deaf newcomer almost makes Will Halpin the least popular guy at Coaler High. But when he befriends the only guy less popular than him, the dork-namic duo has the smarts and guts to figure out who knocked off the star quarterback. Will can’t hear what’s going on, but he’s a great observer. So, who did it? And why does that guy talk to his fingers? And will the beautiful girl ever notice him? (Okay, so Will’s interested in more than just murder . . .) (description from Amazon.com)

I was really surprised how funny this book was...even though it's a great mystery and there's some great suspense, I ended up laughing out loud through most of my reading.  Will and his new friend, Devon, build a great rapport and they deal with Will's deafness is a really cool way.  I would love to read a follow up mystery starring these two self-proclaimed "Hardy Boys." 

Dead is a Battlefield

by Marlene Perez

Dead Is series, book six

Jessica Walsh is starting her freshman year at Nightshade High and trying to forget about the tragic events surrounding her brother’s graduation. She wants to have a normal high school experience. But that’s easier said than done in Nightshade. There’s a new guy at school who seems to be turning the girls into lovesick zombies. And Jessica has other worries—like her crush on a cute but moody lead singer, and the mysterious tattoo that appeared on her arm one day that lets her know whenever there is trouble brewing. Jessica learns she’s a Virago, a woman warrior chosen to fight evil whenever it threatens her hometown. But does a lowly freshman really have what it takes to keep Nightshade safe? (description from Amazon.com)

I LOVE this series.  They are fun to read, quick enough to sneak in between other books I have to review and each turns out to be a pure guilty pleasure. Technically this is book six in the Dead Is  series, but it feels totally fresh because there is a new main character. Jessica is just as sassy and smart as Daisy was...I couldn't be happier with where these books are going. :)

The Aviary

by Kathleen O'Dell

Twelve-year-old Clara Dooley has spent her whole life in the Glendoveer mansion, where her mother is a servant to the kind and elderly matron of the house. Clara has never known another home. In fact, she's confined to the grand estate due to a mysterious heart condition. But it's a comfortable life, and if it weren't for the creepy squawking birds in the aviary out back, a completely peaceful one too.

But once old Mrs. Glendoveer passes away, Clara comes to learn many dark secrets about the family. The Glendoveers suffered a horrific tragedy: their children were kidnapped, then drowned. And their father George Glendoveer, a famous magician and illusionist, stood accused until his death. As Clara digs deeper and deeper into the terrifying events, the five birds in the aviary seem to be trying to tell her something. And Clara comes to wonder: what is their true identity? Clara sets out to solve a decades-old murder mystery—and in doing so, unlocks a secret in her own life, too. (description from Amazon.com)

I really loved this book. I thought the characters were charming, and just a tad creepy.  I was sucked right into poor Clara's story and could not wait to find out why she had to live the sheltered life that she did.  I thought the mystery of the birds was fascinating. This read like a "classic," and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

My Life in Pink and Green

My Life in Pink and Green
by Lisa Greenwald

Twelve-year-old Lucy Desberg is a natural problem-solver. At her family’s struggling pharmacy, she has a line of makeover customers for every school dance and bat mitzvah. But all the makeup tips in the world won’t help save the business. If only she could find a way to make it the center of town again—a place where people want to spend time, like in the old days. Lucy dreams up a solution that could resuscitate the family business and help the environment, too. But will Lucy’s family stop fighting long enough to listen to a seventh-grader? (description from Amazon.com)

This was a very cute tween read. Perfect for a girl that wants to learn to become more confident in her own abilities. Great for a tween who's just starting to think about boys.

Lucy is a very sweet and smart girl. She makes a goal for herself and she sticks with it. She treats everyone as well as she can, even if she doesn't like them. She wants the best for her friends and family.

This is one of those books that you will breeze through and just end up smiling when you are done reading it. It probably won't stick with you forever, but if you're looking for a "beach" type read, this would be a great choice.

Bad Taste in Boys

Bad Taste in Boys
by Carrie Harris

Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town . . . and stay hormonally human. (description from Amazon.com)

Short. Sweet. Sarcastic. Smart.
Veronica Mars meet Buffy the Vampire Slayer...okay, now create a happy little zombie fighting sleuth and voila! Kate Grable.

Kate, Kate, Kate. I <3 Kate. She is one smart cookie. She's also hilariously blasé about shuffling, hungry, black vomit hurtling zombies that are continuously losing body parts in her vacinity.

With a guy who actually appreciates her for her brains (yes, my inner - I mean 0uter, I mean inner...whatever - nerd screamed "Yes!!!"), two best friends who love and support her and try to also break her out of her "nerdy" shell, and a brother that is willing to fight zombies alongside her, Kate is one lucky chick. I'm a little jealous, honestly!

For a quick, snappy, hilarious zombie book, run out and pick up Bad Taste in Boys. There will be NO bad taste left in your mouth. *snort* I know, I know...I couldn't resist. Anyway, two dismembered thumbs way, way up!!

2011 Debut Author Challenge title
2011 Zombie Reading Challenge title

Crush Control Blog Tour (with Giveaway!)

Crush Control
by Jennifer Jabaley

When Willow Grey was nine, her mom dropped the bomb of ultimate betrayal: they would be moving from their small town in Georgia to glitzy Las Vegas. Willow was devastated to have to leave her best friend, Max, behind. So she decided to take control of the situation: she told Max to relax, to let his eyelids droop and then she said: "Max Montgomery, for as long as we live, you and I will be best friends..."

Now, at seventeen, Willow and her mom move back to their hometown and Willow is determined to pick up where she and Max left off. But even though he's still her best friend, his heart now belongs to someone else—and Willow realizes that what she feels for him is so much more than just friendship. For the second time in her life, Willow finds herself using hypnosis to get what she wants. But what starts off as a harmless experiment soon spirals into chaos and Willow is forced to wonder: Is the heart really something you can control—with mind control? (description from author's website)

I've always been both fascinated and terrified by hypnotism. It's supposed to have helped a lot of people with really serious issues (I'd love a subliminal message somedays that NO, I do not need to eat that cupcake...) but when I think about hypnotism, what usually jumps right into my head first is those shows where people end up making total fools of themselves and I just can't even imagine volunteering to participate in something like that!

Imagine my delight when I started reading Crush Control and I realized that this book actually contains both of those exact types of hypnotism! Willow's mother has run a Vegas hypnotism show for nine years and so when they move back home to Georgia, Willow quickly gets talked into doing a "show" for the kids from school. This insta-hit (with the "funny" style hypnosis where people end up doing stupid things) leads to several of Willow's new friends to help them with various problems through hypnosis.

One of Willow's new friends is Mia, the Queen Bee of their school. Captain of the Cheer Squad, Mia's expected to do more and more intricate stunts. When her fear of heights overwhelms her, she turns to Willow for help. Willow, though reluctant, helps Mia to push past her fears. Having figured out what Willow had done for Mia, Quinton, a very hot guy from school asks Willow for help with sleepwalking issues. Again, Mia's not really sure if she should try to help. Her mother was the real hypnotist, after all, and has only just moved into the realm of therapeutic hypnosis, but Willow caves and studies her mom's books to know what she's doing.

Unable to help herself and totally frustrated with her unrequited feelings for her best friend, Max, Willow secretly hypnotizes Quinton to not only stop sleepwalking, but also become her boyfriend. Her uber-sensitive, caring, treat her like the goddess she is...boyfriend. Which, of course, totally backfires and leads to all kinds of high-jinks and worsening situations with Max, who not only doesn't like her relationship with Quinton, but also keeps telling her she shouldn't be doing any hypnosis.

Willow's voice (often in internal dialogue mode) sparkles throughout this funny and touching book. Even as she is totally unsure of herself, she works to make things work, to sound at least reasonably intelligent, and to keep from hurting anyone's feelings. She was a character that I totally got. Her pining for Max felt so realistic...I can remember having a crush just like that when I was younger!

The difficulties that Willow had with Quinton made me laugh out loud, even as I was cringing in embarrassment right alongside Willow. All girls want a little romance, but too much easily becomes smothering and poor, hypnotized Quinton went even a step beyond that to crazy!

While dealing with her new friends at school, Willow is also dealing with trying to reconcile her family. When they moved to Vegas nine years before, it was because Willow's mother and grandmother had a huge fight. Now, Willow's grandfather has had a stroke and they've come home to be closer to their family, but her mother and grandmother still can't get along. Once again, I totally related to Willow's struggle to please every member of her family while still wanting everyone to just get along and accept one another.

Touching and funny, poignant and thought-provoking, Jabaley's written a real winner. I can't wait now to go back and read her other novel, Lipstick Apology.

Thanks to Jennifer Jabaley's publisher, I am lucky enough to give away one copy of Crush Control! If you think you'd like to read it, please leave a comment with your name, email address, and a comment about hypnotism before Fri, July 8th. On Saturday, July 9th, I will randomly choose one winner and contact them to get their mailing address (limited to US/Canada per the publisher - sorry!).

Full disclosure: Review copy received from publisher for blog tour

Artemis the Brave

Artemis the Brave
by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Goddess Girls series, book four

Artemis is on the Hunt, but she doesn't feel brave!

Artemis's friends and classmates see her as the most courageous goddessgirl at school. Little do they know that despite her expert archery skills, the smelly Geryon, ring-nosed Minotaurs, and scorpions in Beast-ology class scare her as much as they do anyone else! But what's really bothering her now is that funny feeling she has whenever she looks at Orion. She's never had a crush before. Will she find the courage to talk to Orion, to make him see her as more than a pal, and to ace Beast-ology class? (description from back jacket)

This was another fun addition to this Greek mythology series. I love seeing the gods and goddesses relate to each other as tweens! So fun. I really liked getting to see things from Artemis' point of view. She's one of my favorite goddesses.

There were a lot of great example setting scenes again, that get across a nice message, without being preachy to readers. Artemis' relationship with her brother, Apollo, was really great. The others support Artemis when she admits to being scared, and the girls remind her not to drop them for a "boy!" Great life lessons hidden in a fun story!

Gossip from the Girls' Room

Gossip from the Girls' Room
by Rose Cooper
A Blogtastic Novel

Gossip from the Girls’ Room fills readers in on all there is to learn about middle school life at Middlebrooke, where Sofia has her very own blog and discusses all the juicy gossip that comes out of the Girls’ room; read along to find out just what happens when class is not in session.

In Sofia's words . . .

Mia St. Claire is only the most popular girl in all of Middlebrooke Middle School. For three very obvious reasons:
1. She's very rich.
2. She has tons of money.
3. She can buy anything and everything she wants. And she does.
I'm sure people like her for other reasons too, but none of those reasons are obvious enough for me to really know. Or care about, for that matter. (description from Amazon.com)

This was such a fun book! It's very much like Diary of a Wimpy Kid in format, with a font that looks like Sofia's printed handwriting, little illustrations all over the place, and a "notebook" style spiral binding on the interior edge of all the pages. With inserted lists, blog posts and daily journal style entries, this is a super fast paced look into Sofia's private life.

Not only was this book fun to read, but it also brought up some very good points for middle grade readers in a non-lecture method. It teaches that gossiping is bad, you should treat others the way you'd like them to treat you, and that you may not know everything about someone just from the impressions you get from their outward appearance and demeanor. Very nice!

I am looking forward to another fun...and FUNNY...foray into Sofia's world in the upcoming, Rumors from the Boys' Room.