Sullivan, Laura L. Ladies In Waiting.

Sullivan, Laura L.  Ladies In Waiting.    Houghton Mifflin/ Harcourt Brace  328p    $16.99      978-0-547-58129-3       ms/hs       VG    Historical Fiction

In this novel three Elizabeths (Zabby, Beth, and Eliza) are sent to the court of Charles II by their parents for different reasons.  Eliza wants to be a playwright for the King’s Theater, but her father wants her to marry well so he will have an influence at court.  Zabby comes to court from the Islands so that she can further her scientific studies and gain access to the King’s laboratory.  Beth is a poor noble girl whose mother is putting her on the marriage market to further the family's status.

The court is teeming with mysteries, schemes, and jealousies, along with allegiances made and broken daily.  Into this drama King Charles welcomes his new bride, Queen Catherine.  The three Elizabeths befriend the queen and becoming her ladies in waiting.

The daily intrigues and doings of the three ladies will provide the reader with chuckles and despair as they follow their future.  Life at court is exciting as they deal with the theater, love affairs, and overly determined mothers.  Readers will not want to put the book down until it is finished.

This historical novel will be a good addition to any collection that needs Great Britain history.  It will show readers the everyday activities of court life.  However, it was not recommended for our "Books of Note" category because of the lack of author notes and historical notes, which would have helped readers understand the jargon and timeline of the Court.

English courts-Fiction, King Charles II-Fiction, Great Britain-Fiction,                                                                   --Linda McNeil

Mitchell, Saundra The Springsweet

Mitchell, Saundra       The Springsweet   Houghton Mifflin/ Harcourt Brace 278p     $16.99      978-0-547-60842-6 `ms/hs      E-BN  Historical Fiction     

After the death of her fiancé, Zora Stewart goes west to Oklahoma from colonial Baltimore to help her aunt keep her homestead going after the death of her husband.  Along the way, the stagecoach is held up and she is left on the road while the driver makes an escape.  During her walk to town she is picked up by a Mr. Emerson Birch and delivered to her aunt’s homestead.

An admirer named Theo de la Croix follows her from Baltimore to West Glory. There, he becomes a schoolteacher and tries to court Zora.  However, Zora seems to have formed an attachment to Emerson.  Added to the conflict is Zora’s Aunt Birdie’s preference for one of the suitors over the other.

Aunt Birdie’s homestead is very poor.  Zora tries to earn money through her gift for finding water on settlers' land.  This ability also leads to some excitement.

This novel deals with supernatural events, love, frontier and pioneer life, and Oklahoma in the 19th century.  It will make an excellent addition to any library seeking literature on the westward expansion.

Oklahoma-Fiction, Westward Expansion-Fiction, Historical fiction, Supernatural-Fiction                -- Linda McNeil

Hale, Bruce. From Russia with Lunch.

Hale, Bruce. From Russia with Lunch.
Harcourt Brace 2009 112p 15.00 978-0-15-20548-8 elem
Chet Gecko Mystery
“When Chet's favorite teacher is fired and replaced by Russian scientist Tanya Lightov's mechanical invention, the school is suddenly possessed by unnatural forces and events, and Natalie Attired abandons Chet in his hour of need.” Fans of Chet Gecko will not be disappointed in this installment of the latest mystery to be solved. In this title, Chet Gecko, a lizard detective, and his mockingbird partner Natalie Attired, are presented with a mystery involving members of their elementary school, Emerson Hicky. Staff members are being replaced by devices such as the Bibliomalgamator, the Munchmeister 2000, and Yard Czar to help automate and streamline the library, cafeteria, and to simplify yard work. The devices were created by a mysterious Russian scientist and inventor, Dr. Tanya Lightov, but when tested, they did not function as they were intended. Everyday life at Emerson Hicky seems out of the ordinary as strange things and events happen. Kindergartners overrule the playground and beat up sixth graders, good students who normally are teachers pets are talking back and getting suspended from school, and his partner in crime and best friend, Natalie has abandoned Chet when he most needed her. Chet realizes that something is seriously wrong and he is determined to find out what is happening at his school.
Written in first-person narration, students will enjoy the puns, wisecracks, metaphors, and overall funny descriptions, while enjoying the scattered black-and-white pencil drawings. Students who enjoy mystery stories will appreciate this title. The author includes a quick summary of the first thirteen mysteries of Chet Gecko. Charlene Forba-Mayer

Going, K.L. King of Screwups.

Going, K.L. King of Screwups.
Harcourt Brace/Houghton Mifflin 2009 310p 17.00 978-0-15-206258-3 ms/hs

Liam is Mr. Popularity, a jock who dresses well and impresses everyone, except his overbearing father. When he is kicked out of his house, he goes to live with his father’s gay brother, Aunt Pete. Going once again manages to tackle difficult subject with humor and memorable characters. This time she tackles both parental abuse and homosexuality with such wit that readers will not be able to put it down. Liam’s ability to constantly disappoint his overbearing father, and his unlikely bond with his gay uncle, Aunt Pete, will resonate with readers. This novel will appeal to both male and female readers, and will be a good companion to Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, as the characters both go on voyages of self-discovery and overcome overbearing father-figures.
This novel has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Going’s Fat Kid Rules the World. An enjoyable read for upper middle and high school students. With the great cover, even reluctant readers will pick this one up, and recommend it to their friends. Pat Naismith

Jinks, Catherine. The Reformed Vampire Support Group.

Jinks, Catherine. The Reformed Vampire Support Group.
Harcourt Brace 2009 362 17.00 978-0-15-206609-3 ms/hs

Wry, humorous take on the vampire life. Fifteen year old (since 1973) Nina hates being a vampire, dislikes the other vampires in her support group and like other vampires is sickly, struggling financially, and dedicated to not inflicting this condition on any others.
When one of her own is killed, an adventure ensues that has her and her comrades rescuing a teen werewolf, fending off two evil mortal (and then not) men, and realizing that being a vampire can be okay. Jinks puts a wry, humorous take on the vampire life. In this book, the vampires are sickly, struggling financially, and dedicated to not inflicting this condition on any other people. The story is told from the perspective of Nina, a fifteen year old (since 1973) vampire who hates being a vampire. She is repulsed by having to feed on the blood of guinea pigs, loathes having to sleep in a dark space all day, and dislikes most of the members of her Reformed Vampire Support Group. The support group meets weekly under the leadership of Father Ramon, a Catholic priest, and they are committed to refrain from biting any humans. When one of their own is staked, they know they must find the slayer who now knows where they all live. The group holes up in Nina’s mother’s house since it is deemed safest place and with a silver bullet as their only clue, Nina and some of her group set out to track down the killer. Along the way, they free a captured teen werewolf who is forced to fight and kill other werewolves in a pit for the amusement of the audience. Many adventures ensue with the outcome that Nina falls in love with one of her fellow vampires. This title is humorous, gory, audacious, and suspenseful. It will be an excellent addition to middle and high school library collections of vampire genre fiction. Recommended for Tristate Books of Note. Tina Weinraub

Rinaldi, Ann. My Vicksburg.

Rinaldi, Ann. My Vicksburg.
Harcourt Brace 2009 152p 16.00 978-0-15-206624-6 ms/jr

This is the story of a young Confederate girl who lived in Vicksburg during the battle. It shows the readers about the hardships incurred as well as the unusual aspects of warfare at that time. Claire Louise Corbet was a young girl who was considered to be headstrong. She also has an unusual family situation because her father is a Confederate doctor and her brother(Landon) is a Union doctor. The family had to move out of their home during the bombings and live in a cave on the outskirts of town. However, when the bombing stopped for the luncheon and evenings meals, they could return home for any item they had forgotten. This went on for 47 days until the town surrendered.
However, Claire came to realize that all was not black and white when he brother hides a Confederate deserter(Robert-who lost a post to Robert E. Lee) in their cave until he can get well. Claire takes things into her own hand when she realizes that he brother is honor bound to turn Robert in for treason. She provides Robert with her horse so that he can escape to the West.
The author has done a good job of providing an insight into what the life and trials of people who lived through such situations encountered. LM

Jinks, Catherine. The Reformed Vampire Support Group.

Jinks, Catherine. The Reformed Vampire Support Group.
Harcourt Brace 2009 362 17.00 978-0-15-206609-3 ms/hs

Wry, humorous take on the vampire life. Fifteen year old (since 1973) Nina hates being a vampire, dislikes the other vampires in her support group and like other vampires is sickly, struggling financially, and dedicated to not inflicting this condition on any others.
When one of her own is killed, an adventure ensues that has her and her comrades rescuing a teen werewolf, fending off two evil mortal (and then not) men, and realizing that being a vampire can be okay. Jenks puts a wry, humorous take on the vampire life.
In this book, the vampires are sickly, struggling financially, and dedicated to not inflicting this condition on any other people. The story is told from the perspective of Nina, a fifteen year old (since 1973) vampire who hates being a vampire. She is repulsed by having to feed on the blood of guinea pigs, loathes having to sleep in a dark space all day, and dislikes most of the members of her Reformed Vampire Support Group. The support group meets weekly under the leadership of Father Ramon, a Catholic priest, and they are committed to refrain from biting any humans. When one of their own is staked, they know they must find the slayer who now knows where they all live. The group holes up in Nina's mother's house since it is deemed safest place and with a silver bullet as their only clue, Nina and some of her group set out to track down the killer. Along the way, they free a captured teen werewolf who is forced to fight and kill other werewolves in a pit for the amusement of the audience. Many adventures ensue with the outcome that Nina falls in love with one of her fellow vampires. This title is humorous, gory, audacious, and suspenseful. It will be an excellent addition to middle and high school library collections of vampire genre fiction. Recommended for Tristate Books of Note. TW.