Diterlizzi, Tony. The Search for WondLa

Diterlizzi, Tony The Search for WondLa
Simon & Schuster/Little Brown 2010 468p 17.99
978-1-4169-8310-1 elm/ms Science fiction VG-BN

Living in isolation with a robot on what appears to be an alien world populated with bizarre life forms, a twelve-year-old human girl called Eva Nine sets out on a journey to find others like her. Features "augmented reality" pages, in which readers with a webcam can access additional information about Eva Nine's world.
With elements reminiscent of Planet of the Apes, The Wizard of Oz and Star Wars, human child Eva Nine has been raised in an underground sanctuary on the planet Ortona by a motherly robot whose sole occupation is to train Eva for life above ground. That entry into the real world happened sooner than expected, as a trophy hunter invades the Sanctuary in search of specimens for the Queen’s museum. Eva escapes and begins her quest to be reunited with others of her kind. She meets up with fantastical creatures, a water bear named Otto with whom she communicates telepathically, and a cat whiskered, cerulean blue bipedal named Rovender who becomes her mentor, guide and rescuer. Eva quickly discovers that nothing in her training could possibly prepare her for a world of wandering trees and turnfins, and she is ultimately captured by the trophy hunter before escaping and beginning her journey to the ruins where human artifacts have been found. DiTerlizzi leaves Eva at the ruins where she is about to be rescued by a human boy, setting readers up for the sequel. This reader’s copy did not include all the artwork nor the interactive map that can be viewed with a web cam. The artwork that is included is wonderfully shaded and detail in a graphic novel style which will appeal to upper elementary readers. This is a good introduction to fantasy for readers who are hesitant to read a new genre, with enough recognizable elements to spark the imagination.
Highly recommended. Zajko, Rosanne

42 Miles by Tracie Zimmer

Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 42 miles.
Clarion (Houghton Mifflin), 2008, 73p, $16.00, 978-0-618-61867-5.

42 miles are worlds apart as JoEllen tries to reconcile her city life with her mother and life on the farm with her father. At times, it seems as if she is two different people, as she struggles to find her own identity in this free-verse novel.
“School days in the city with Mom / weekends on the farm with Dad.” 42 miles are worlds apart as JoEllen tries to reconcile her city life with her mother and life on the farm with her father. Ellen, to her mom, jokes with her friends, plays the sax, lives for fashion and old movies, and works at a second-hand shop. Joey, to her dad, rides horses with her cousin, creates outrageous recipes with her dad, mucks out the stables and listens to bluegrass music. At times, it seems as if she is two different people, as she struggles to find her own identity in this free-verse novel.

Enjoyable and well written, illustrated with black and white collages that look like scrapbook entries, this book will be an enjoyable, and quick, read for older middle school students.
Recommended for middle school collections and YA departments at public libraries. This should be an enjoyable, coming-of-age novel in verse for girls from 6th through 8th grades. PN