Cooper, Constance. Guile.

Cooper, Constance.  Guile.  Houghton Mifflin/Clarion  2016  376p  $17.99  ISBN 978-0-544-45171-1  ms/hs     Fantasy  VG-BN     

This fast-paced fantasy tells the story of a young girl whose world is shattered her parents die when their house burns down and her relatives send her away. In order to survive, Yoni leaves the bayous and goes to town and makes a living doing “seeings,” in which folks ask her about the guiles attached to various historic relics.

Yoni starts to find her mother’s family as she struggles to survive with the help of her cat, LaRue. It seems that LaRue has special abilities and can sense the guile. This ability might be a dangerous one for Yoni if it gets out. In addition, someone doesn’t like the idea of Yoni in Wicked Ford. Her life is threatened, so she and LaRue return to the bayous to hide.

Guile is a swift-moving story that provides readers with the mystique of the bayous and the suspense of unknown abilities.     

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Yoni Watereye and her cat try to trace her family tree and find her parents’ murderer. To survive she poses as a “pearlie” in the city.    

Families-Fiction, Mystery-Fiction                     --Linda McNeil

Fighting Fire!

Cooper, Michael L.  Fighting Fire!  Macmillan/Henry Holt  2014  215p  $19.99  ISBN 978-0-8050-9714-6  ms/hs  Nonfiction  E-BN   

Fighting Fire! covers ten of the deadliest fires in American history.  Many famous fires are included, such as Chicago in 1871, San Francisco in 1906, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in New York in 1911, the World Trade Center in 2001, and the San Diego County wildfires of 2007.  Also discussed are lesser-known, but just as devastating, fires, including Boston in 1760, New York in 1835, Baltimore in 1904, the General Slocum excursion boat fire in New York in 1904, and the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire in Boston in 1942.  The author gives vivid descriptions of the fires and fire-fighting techniques available at the time of each fire, as well as the impact each one had on safety codes.  The book includes photographs of fire engines, a list of fire museums, a list of recommended reading, including websites, source notes, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index.        

Summary: Ten stories about the most deadly fires in American history are collected in this book.     

Fire fighting                                         --Stephanie Pennucci

Cooper, Ilene. Angel in My Pocket .

Cooper, Ilene.     Angel in My Pocket .     

Feiwel&Friends/Macmillan Child Pub Gr   2011  278p  16.99   978-0-312-37014-5 

ms    Realistic Fiction       E-BN  

Four students, one at a time, temporarily possess a token with an angel on it.  Each

has better things happen in their life while they possess the token.  All four

stories are interwoven. Bette finds an angel coin in a charity collection

box.  After she pockets the coin, things begin to change.  A new tenant moves in

downstairs, Bette is more able to deal with the loss in her life and she starts

to move on.  Joe takes the coin off Bette’s desk and he, too, begins to change.  His mom, who

has been ill, finds a new doctor who seems to really be able to help her.  Also

Joe begins to remove himself from the bully image he had been portraying.  

    When Joe gives the coin to Minkus, who had been his chief source of

shakedown money, Minkus gives it to his sister who has severe asthma.  When she

cuts down on her medicine, which makes her face puffy, and lands back in the

hospital, she meets the same doctor who offers her hope with a new medicine.

  Woven throughout the story are preparations for a student production of  the

musical Big River.  This is a special school for the arts.  Each child has a

role to play in the final production which highlights and honors their talents.

  This is a very endearing story.  It is gentle and offers hope to children.  Theal, Joan