Schraff, Anne. Winners and Losers.

Schraff, Anne.    Winners and Losers. (Urban Underground.)  Saddleback  200p $9.95  978-1-61651-962-9   hs  VG-BNS      Realistic fiction

Ernesto Sandoval seems to have his life in order.  He has the respect of his fellow students, a great girlfriend, and a loving family.  But Rod Garcia cannot accept Ernesto’s election as senior-class president.  He perceives Ernesto as a goody-two-shoes outsider and makes it his goal to make Ernesto’s life miserable.  Rod spends a lot of his time plotting mischief to make Ernesto look bad.

Ernesto perceives Rod as a disgruntled troublemaker.  He deals with Rod firmly but respectfully, but doesn’t waste time worrying about Rod’s personal issues.  Ernesto has his eye on the goal: college, supporting his circle of friends and family, and spending time with his girlfriend.  Ernesto’s deliberate choice to refuse to be baited by Rod pays off in respect from students and adults alike.  Ernesto is proof of the adage “Success is the best revenge”.

Schraff offers credible characters and a recognizable barrio setting.  Struggling readers will connect with the credible characters and the compelling story lines of the Urban Underground series.  The highly readable style and mature topics will appeal to young-adult readers.           

Friendship-Fiction, High school-Fiction                     -- Hilary Welliver

Schraff, Anne. Vengeance. (Urban Underground.)

Schraff, Anne.    Vengeance. (Urban Underground.)     Saddleback  200p  $8.95 978-1-61651-961-2 ms/hs       VG    Realistic fiction    

As president of the senior class, Ernesto must handle a lot.  In this book, he sets up a mentoring program that supports struggling ninth graders, encourages his peers to treat a teacher with respect, and offers support to his friend Abel when his father is almost killed in a hit-and-run accident.  Anne Schraff uses two stories to illustrate her moral, which is that vengeance should never be an option in the pursuit of justice. 

Using her usual setting, Chavez High, and her cast of characters, including Ernesto Sandoval, his girlfriend Naomi, and various other regulars of her Urban Underground series, Schraff accomplishes her purpose with one story about bullying and another about leaving the scene of a crime.  In the first story, the granddaughter of beloved history teacher Mr. Davila is bullied while she is walking her disabled grandmother through the streets after school.  Two mean girls mimic the characteristics of Parkinson’s disease, and Angel is devastated and furious too!  To get even, she frames one of the bullies for a crime that she herself has committed, that of spray-painting obscenities all over the walls of the high school library.  In a parallel, yet unrelated, segment of the story, the son of a different social-studies teacher is guilty of leaving the scene of a crime, which seriously injures the father of one of Ernesto’s best friends.  Seeking revenge becomes an issue again, and Schraff assures her readers that revenge is unacceptable.  Although the writing is not world-class, Schraff nevertheless gets teenagers reading.  Her books resonate with a variety of readers, especially with Latinos, since all of the characters live in the barrio.  This book is easy-to-read, fast-paced and contemporary.

  
On page 94, note the punctuation error in the sentence “Dad admires him.”  The sentence needs to end with a period instead of a comma. The Urban Underground series comprises around thirty books, all related to teaching morals and values to inner-city youth as well as other teenagers.  With a setting in a Latino high school, a repeat cast of characters, and easy-to-comprehend content, Schraff engages students and educates them as well! High-school students and middle-school students will like this new volume, and bilingual classrooms should stock it as well!

Revenge–Fiction, High school–Fiction                        -- Martha Squaresky    

The List

Vivian, Siobhan   The List     

Scholastic/Grolier/Childrens Press/Watts  2012 332p   $17.99      978-0-545-16917-2       hs            Realistic fiction

This is a very engaging and well-written book about how wonderful and horrific high-school society can be.  Every year, just before the Mount Washington High School’s homecoming activities commence, "The List" is posted -- the prettiest and ugliest girls in each grade. How does each of the eight girls on The List take the news?  In this story about the classic high-school caste systems, the answers are provided and often surprising, revealing the good, the bad and the ugly about each of them.  The story takes many interesting turns that will leave readers with some insights that they might not have otherwise had.  The author does a very good job addressing the complexities of life that many high-school girls have to cope with.           

E-BN  Lynn Fisher       High school stories, Beauty   

 

Perception: A Clarity Novel

Harrington, Kim   Perception: A Clarity Novel    

Scholastic/Grolier/Childrens Press/Watts  2012  275p  $16.99  978-0-545-23053-7  VG   ms/hs       Mystery/Detective

Clare is a loner at school because of her psychic ability.  In this, the second book in the Clarity series, Clare once again must use her this ability to determine what happened to a high-school girl who has recently disappeared.  Readers unfamiliar with the series will be put off by all the references to the first book.  Many characters populate this novel, some of whom appeared in the first book as well, and some who are new.  The popular Barbie brigade befriends Clare even though Clare has nothing in common with them.  Clare in her turn befriends a female loner, much to the disappointment of the Barbie brigade.  Typical high-school friendships, with friends turning on friends, propel much of the action.  Adding romantic interest are two boys who want Clare to be their homecoming date.  When Clare becomes aware that someone is following her, photographing her, and leaving the photos for her to find, along with notes and flowers, she becomes apprehensive and seeks to determine who the secret admirer is before something terrible happens.  Should she trust her new friend Mallory?  Which boy should she give her heart to?  Who is the mysterious stalker?  

Oh, the drama! This is a beach read of a mystery tinged with psychic powers that will entertain readers, but not leave a lasting impression on most.

VG    Lois McNicol      Psychic ability, High school stories, Romance, 

Friendship

Take a Bow

Eulberg, Elizabeth      Take a Bow   

Scholastic/Grolier/Childrens Press/Watts  2012  280p  $17.99      978-0-545-33474-7       ms/hs   VG    Realistic fiction

Once again, Eulberg (The Lonely Hearts Club) has created a romantic story with memorable characters and setting.  Narrated in four different voices, this novel focuses on talented students during their senior year at the New York High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.  Sophie was a star before, but now she is using her friends only to advance her career.  Emme is talented but lacks confidence.  Ethan loves Emme, but can he tell her?  Former child star Carter wants to be an artist, but will his stage mother let him be one?  And then there’s the band.  The friendships ring true.  The major characters, Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter, and band members Jack and Ben are portrayed with verve and humor.  This is more a story of friendship and self-realization than a romance, but the romantic elements will keep Eulberg’s fans entranced.  This is an enjoyable read for older teens, and there is nothing that is inappropriate for middle-school readers.       

VG    Pat Naismith      Friendship, High school stories, Romance

 

The Edumacation of Jay Baker

Clark, Jay  The Edumacation of Jay Baker        

 Macmillan/ Henry Holt   2011  273p   $16.99     978-0-8050-9256-1       ms/hs       Realistic fiction

Being a 9th grader is not easy, especially for Jay, who has irritable bowel syndrome and who does not share the same interests as his childhood mates.  There are constant verbal skirmishes between them as the guys call him gay, while Jay’s quick wit always finds a way to wound the beefy sport jocks.  Jay confides his personal troubles to his female childhood friend and possible love interest (until a new girl arrives in school and catches his attention).  As Jay helps the new girl hone her tennis skills, he falls in love with her, and a love triangle ensues.  All the characters have parental issues.  There is a lot of snarky dialogue between characters, with teachers adding their own jabs.  Verbal intimidation and homophobia are the norm for the young characters, and potty humor and sexual innuendo abound.  Those readers that are not offended will be laughing hysterically.  The use of pop culture references litter the text, with some based upon contemporary culture and some stretching back to the TV show Alf.  Each chapter has a title that is related to a song referenced in the playlist at the back of the book.  While it is not for every library, many readers will find this humorous reflection of the angst and problems of maturing a welcome relief from the books that offer a more somber mood.   For grade 8 and higher.

McNicol,Lois   High school stories, Bullying

 

Allen, Elise Populazzi

Allen, Elise      Populazzi   

 Harcourt Brace/Houghton Mifflin     2011  394p  16.99 978-0-547-48153-1 

 ms/hs VG-BN Realistic Fiction     

   Cara, who has always been on the bottom rung of the social ladder, plots how to rise to the top and become a “Populazzi,” in her new school.     Cara is moving to a new school.  It is a chance for new beginnings, an opportunity to overcome “invisibility” and become one of the popular crowd.  With her lifelong friend Claudia, the girls plot the ladder to social success. 

   Cara jumps from boyfriend to boyfriend, moving up the social strata and changing her looks, personality, and behavior along the way.  She begins with Archer, a boy from the Theater crowd, ditching him for Nate, a bad boy who puts Cara one step away from the “Populazzis.”  How far will Cara go to be someone of the cool crowd?

In addition to dealing with her social-climbing activities, a new environment, and a more challenging curriculum, Cara’s home life also provides challenges.  Her mother is in a totally dependent relationship with a cruel, emotionally abusive man.  Cara’s mom is not there for her and doesn’t have her back when events come to a head.

Fast-paced and entertaining, the characters, cliques, and experiences will seem authentic to teen readers who will recognize themselves in this entertaining and humorous page-turner.
1. Interpersonal relations - Fiction. 

2. Popularity -- Fiction. 

3. High schools -- Fiction.       Hilary Welliver

 

Good Behavior: a memoir

Henry, Nathan L. Good Behavior: a memoir
Bloomsbury see St. Martins 2010 262p 17.99
978-1-59990-471-9 hs/adult VG
Henry started killing animals and gutting them when he was quite young. He dabbled in Satanism, loved guns, terrorized fellow classmates, was charged with arson, and landed in county jail after an armed robbery all before age 17. Gritty reading. Grades 9+.
Nathan Henry is now married and working in a medical office. That is a far cry from his past life. He grew up in a small midwest town yet shows the hardened personality often associated with life of an inner city youth. Henry chronicles his life, remembering himself killing animals, his father’s pessimism and tendency toward abuse, his father’s treasure trove of guns and porn and conversely his parents abiding love. At an early age, he and a friend kill and gut animals and terrorize fellow classmates. As they grow older, they perfect their gun skills and lock breaking abilities, embrace Satanism and commit petty theft. At school, Henry is the rebel, constantly breaking rules and defying teachers, even setting a fire in the detention room. Arrested and placed in a juvenile detention facility, he is released to continue his lawless life, setting out on a road trip that culminates with an armed robbery and time in the county jail. Henry relates all this, complete with coarse language, in alternating chapters that mesh his past experiences with time spent in the county jail. The reader meets his family and friends, his girlfriends and lovers, his cellmates and jailers. A rough, raw, no holds barred look at a juvenile delinquent’s life. Yet, Henry is intelligent and by the end of the book, there is hope that he will become a contributing member of society. Grades 9+.
Recommended where gritty, no holds barred biographies of teenage criminals are needed and will be accepted. The coarse language must be considered before purchase. Suitable for high schools that can take the realism found in this book. McNicol,Lois
Juvenile Delinquents

Bender, Aimee The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Bender, Aimee The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Doubleday see Random 2010 292p 25.95
978-0-385-50112-5 hs/adult VG
This novel follows Rose from age nine to adulthood. Rose can feel the emotions of the people who have made the food she eats. This gift or curse directs her life as she learns more than she wants to know about her dysfunctional family and the sadness of their lives. This novel, set in Los Angeles, follows Rose from age nine to adulthood. At the age of nine, she discovers that she is able to feel the emotions of the people who have made the food she eats. She learns that her mother is unhappy in their dysfunctional family and Rose can sense her mother’s affair. Rose’s older brother, Joseph, seems to have Asberger’s syndrome, a type of high functioning autism, yet this is never actually labeled in the book. Joseph eventually disappears under weird circumstances and Rose is the only one who knows how and what has happened. Rose ultimately learns that her brother and father, as well as the grandfather she never knew also had gifts or rather curses like she does, but she accepts them, faults and all. The characters are richly drawn, especially Joseph’s best friend George, whom Rose adores. The story meanders through Rose’s life as she reaches adulthood and one never knows what is real and what is part of Rose’s neuroses. This title concludes with a charming yet haunting ending that leaves the reader wondering what has been revealed. The writing is fluid and insightful.
This book might interest readers who like books by Alice Hoffman and will be a very good addition to high school libraries. Weinraub(2), Tina

Molnar, Haya Leah Under A Red Sky

Molnar, Haya Leah Under A Red Sky
Farrar Strauss 2010 302p 17.99
978-0-374-31840-6 ms/hs VG
Haya Leah Molnar began life as Eva Zimmerman, and knew nothing of her Jewish heritage until her family petitioned to relocate to Israel. A engaging and moving memoir of a childhood in Communist Romania. A moving and engaging memoir, told in the first person, from a child’s point of view. Haya Leah Molnar grew up as Eva Zimmerman, the child of a famous dancer and a filmmaker. While her extended family endured hardships under the Communist regime in Romania, the stories of her eccentric relatives and family friends paint a loving and fascinating picture of life behind the Iron Curtain, in 1950’s Romania. While her father believed in science as the one truth, and the family rarely observed any religious traditions, Eva was shocked to find out that they were Jewish, when her father applied to emigrate to Israel. After that application, her family was forced into more hardships when it was known that they were indeed Jewish.

The ending seemed far too abrupt, including pictures of Molnar’s life in Israel, and eventual emigration to the US, but no narrative past the boat entering the Tel Aviv harbor. In that respect the memoir seems incomplete and will leave readers wondering of her life in Israel and the family’s decision to come to the US. Perhaps there will be a sequel. Recommmended for memoir and historical collections. This cultural memoir gives insight into a child’s life behind the Iron Curtain in a pivotal time in world history. Easily readable by middle school and still relevant for high school collections. Naismith, Pat

Brody, Jessica The Karma Club

Brody, Jessica The Karma Club
Farrar Strauss 2010 258p 16.99
978-0-374-33979-1 hs VG
When things go wrong for Madi and her two best friends, they form a Karma club to exact revenge to those responsible. But they learn that Karma doesn’t work that way. Humorous chick lit for the high school set. Madi and her two best friends are having boy trouble. They decide to form a Karma club to exact revenge to those responsible. The problems are high school romance/popularity related: Madi’s boyfriend dumps her for the most popular girl in school, Angie’s boyfriend let’s her take the rap for a dance night alcohol incident, and Jade’s boyfriend cheated on her. They swear off boys and plot to settle scores and even get charm bracelets to commemorate each victory. Madi keeps a notebook detailing every event. The reprisals include vengeance towards female peers that did them wrong, too. They conspire to put Crisco in the acne medication of Heather, the snob, reveal an SAT cheating scheme that Madi’s boyfriend was involved in, and design a hilarious scenario that makes it look like a former boyfriend was shoplifting granny-type undies, among others. But Madi through her peer tutoring program, becomes involved with one of their intended targets and hides this from the Karma club. When she inadvertently leaves her notebook where one of the victims finds it, she has to figure out how to resolve the problems the Karma club has caused. The ending reveals that Karma isn’t all about causing people problems for retribution for wrongs, but should be used for good. The plot resolves nicely. Humorous chick lit for the high school set that will keep female readers interested until the very end. This book will be of interest to female readers of high school age and it will keep them reading until the very end. Weinraub(2), Tina

Grant, Vicki. Comeback

Grant, Vicki. Comeback
Orca 2010 132 9.95
978-1-55469-310-8 hs Realistic Fiction E-BN

Ria’s father disappears and is presumed dead when his small plane crashes. His swindles of friends and relatives money through his stock brokerage business leaves Ria in turmoil. She and her small brother run away with disastrous results. Grades 8+
Ria has a charmed life. Her family is wealthy, she has a great boyfriend, and she is a good student. Her mother insists on separating from her father and moves the kids to a small apartment. Ria continues to see her suave, easy talking father and hatches a plan to move herself and her small brother into her father’s new home. Before she can broach the move to her father, he takes a business trip, piloting his own small airplane. The news that his plane has crashed in a lake and he is presumed dead rattles Ria’s world. She can’t believe he is dead and is offended by those who come to express sympathy. As news of her father’s swindling money from his stock brokerage’s clients surfaces, Ria can’t face her friends or her boyfriend who turn against her because their families have lost all their life savings. To get away from it all, she takes her small brother and goes for a drive that continues late into the night and on into the next morning. With very little money, she makes poor choices and ends up in an abandoned summer camp. When her brother has an asthma attack, she realizes she is in need of help. When Ria’s dad calls (yes, he is still alive) her on her cell phone, she realizes he is both concerned and a criminal. Realistic dialogue and excellent character development accompany a fast-paced plot. Great for a hi/lo reader. For grades 8-12.
Strongly recommended, grades 8-12, especially for schools in the suburbs. A headline topic of investment brokers misusing client’s money. Realistic dialogue and a fast-paced plot tackles the fallout that affects the families of a corrupt stockbroker .. McNicol(3),Lois

Gravett, Christopher. Knight: Nobel Warrior of England 1200-1600

Gravett, Christopher Knight: Nobel Warrior of England 1200-1600
Osprey Graphic History 2010 288p 19.95
978-1-84908-138-2 hs/adult VG
Describes how the knight evolved over four centuries of English and European history, the battles they fought, their lives both in peacetime and on campaign, their weapons, armor and clothing, and the fascinating code and mythology of chivalry.
Originally published as four separate titles and then combined in Great Britain in 2008.
The popular image of a “knight in shining armor” feasting, courtly tournaments and bloody battles is not the whole story. From the knights of King John to the last Tudor knights, great detail is given to the changes in armor and clothing, weapons, battle tactics, and involvement in public service and politics over the passage of time. The life of a knight was evolving through the centuries covered. Also included is the code and mythology of chivalry.
This title is so full of detail it would best fit in the reference section. Many historical illustrations and photographs of statuary and monuments enhance the text. The terminology used in the area of armor and clothing requires a background knowledge in the field. There is a very complete glossary of terms and an extensive index.
This title would fit best in a high school or college library.
Recommended for high school or college. Theal, Joan

Fagerholm, Monika. The American Girl

Fagerholm, Monika The American Girl
Other Press 2009 507p 15.75 978-159051-304-0 hs/adult
Mystery/Detective VG
Told from varying viewpoints and times, the disappearance of an American girl in Finland possibly caused the deaths of others. A new generation of girls seek to unravel the complex relationships in the community and the deaths. For mature grades 10+.
An American girl goes to visit a relative in Finland. She becomes romantically involved with at least one boy in the community and suddenly disappears. Rumor has it she died in the marsh. Another death and a boy’s muteness are related to her death. A generation later, two young girls decide to delve into the mystery of the American girl. One of the young girls, Sandra, lives in a house “in the darker part of the wood”. She is neglected by her traveling parents and lives in a most unusual house. She spies on the hunting parties and sexually free lifestyle of her father. The lack of a mother present in her life causes her to reach out to her father’s girlfriends for advice. Doris, abused by her mother, befriends Sandra and the two invent games and role play the lives of adults. Their sexual experimentation mimics that of the adults in their lives. Doris ultimately kills herself while Sandra eventually moves to America. Through much of the novel, the writing style floats between viewpoints and times and the reader feels like there are gossamer layers precluding a clear understanding of what actually happened to the American girl and Sandra’s mother. As the novel ends, another girl from the next generation is set to replay the mystery of the American girl. A sequel will follow. For mature high schoolers who want a literary novel instead of a quick read.
The teenage characters may draw in high school readers who are looking for a literary read instead of a “beach read”. This novel has it all: reality, fantasy, and mystery. Determining what really happened is the reader’s responsibility. For mature readers. McNicol(3),Lois
Adolescent Girls

O’Dell, Tawni. Fragile Beasts

O’Dell, Tawni Fragile Beasts
Random House/Doubleday/Ballantine 2010 401 25.00
978-0-307-35168-5 hs/adult VG
This epic saga covers about 50 years in the life of Candace Jack and her connections to Spain and Western Pennsylvania. Two orphaned teenage boys, Kyle and Klint, come into her life and give fulfillment to her later years. Candace Jack met and fell in love with a matador while visiting Spain as a young woman. She was at the bullring when he was killed in the bullfight. Returning to her family home near Pittsburgh, PA her entire life is consumed by her loss.
Late in her life, her niece pleads with her to take in two teenaged boys when their father dies. The boys want to stay in their hometown and not go with the mother who deserted the family several years ago. As Kyle, the younger one gets to know Miss Jack and her servant Luis, he discovers a whole new world as she opens her heart to the past for the first time in years. Klint, on the other hand is withdrawing further into himself. Eventually the reader learns that he was abused by his mother and that is why he would rather die than go live with her.
This is a story of unreconnciled love, boys coming of age, and definitions of true love and family. The flashbacks and telling the story from multiple viewpoints point to a mature, sophisticated audience. There are also some sexual encounters which make this novel at least high school.
Recommended for high school to adult, especially someone with an interest in Spain or bullfighting. Theal(1), Joan

Wilson, Jacqueline. Kiss

Wilson, Jacqueline. Kiss
Roaring Press see Millbrook 2010 248p 16.99
978-1-59643-242-0 hs Realistic Fiction VG-BN
Sylvie has always been in love with her best friend, Carl, and she is waiting for their relationship to move from the platonic to the romantic. But Carl has other ideas. This realistic novel pulls the reader in right away, with very good characterizations, descriptions of teen social life (in the UK), lots of emotional honesty and good writing. Sylvie is a character with whom one can empathize, and yet at times you want to shake her and ask why she cannot see the obvious about her crush on Carl. Although it is easy to see where things are heading with their friendship, the reader will stick with this one because of the interesting situations and personalities involved in the story. Recommended for high school students, maybe even 8th graders. For high-school girls who like realistic fiction
Kennedy, Carol

O’Brien, Caragh M. Birth Marked

O’Brien, Caragh M. Birth Marked
Roaring Press see Millbrook 2010 362p 16.99
978-1-59643-569-8 hs Science fiction E-BN
In 2930 the world has changed and now the people who live inside the walls are called the Enclave and the unfortunate people who were not selected to go behind the wall are called the outsiders and live in poverty. However, the Enclave committed an error they didn’t take in enough people and now they have a grave problem with the children.
Gaia can only imagine what life behind the wall is like. She has been training to be a midwife and now she is ready. As a midwife she has the responsibility of passing over the first the three babies born in a month. The babies destiny is to be adopted by families within the walls. Their life is good, however there is a problem now that is affecting the whole existence of the people within the walls. The children are dying and because most of the children come from outside the walls and there are many cases of incest due to the fact that the children have no idea who their real parents are on the outside.
Gaia always thought it was a good thing although deep inside as she gave the babies over she felt an uncomfortable feeling. Then the day came when she came home to find her parents had been arrested. The Enclave was looking for a code that could tell them how the young adults might be related. They believe that Gaia’s mother was able to help them. However, Gaia’s mother had lost 2 babies to the Enclave and she was determined to stop it even if it killed her.
Excellent story full of intrigue and mystery. Gaia is a heroine willing to risk it all and she actually finds love along the way. As the story unfolds the reader learns how the story becomes complicated and how technology, genetics, illness and incest can devastate a population. I suspect there might be a second book continuing the story of Gaia and Leon telling us how this whole story will unfold and the population can be saved. Diaz, Magna

Harland, Richard. Worldshaker

Harland, Richard. Worldshaker
Simon & Schuster/Little Brown 2010 400p 16.99
978-1-4169-9552-4 ms/hs Science fiction VG
Col Propentine must deal with the unexpected realities that his privileged state, and his naive existence, have masked when he is selected to be the next commander of the Worldshaker, a huge juggernaut.
A microcosm of Victorian civilization is alive and well aboard the juggernaut, Worldshaker. The upper classes live in a super-structured realm, where physical and emotional thoughts and feelings are surpressed, and everyone leads a very proper Victiorian existence. Below decks are the “filthies,” who the upper deck dwellers are led to believe are sub-human. When Rif escapes and meets Col, his entire notion of the world is turned upside down, and the two begin a rebellion that will forever change the life of the entire world.

Slow and almost infuriating at first, this story builds and creates a fascinating world, with believable characters and thought-provoking plot details. Worldshaker seems to be an analogy of the British Empire and expansionist ideals, as well as a diatribe against Victorian society. Fans of Philip Reeve and other steampunk offerings will find this an engaging read, but those who dig deeper will find pro-environmental and anti-imperialist symbolism.

Some sensual allusions, but most of the action is properly Victorian. Appropriate for middle school steampunk fans, and can be enjoyed by older readers as well. Recommended for middle and high school collections where this genre is popular. Naismith, Pat

Aw, Tash. Map of the Invisible World

Aw, Tash Map of the Invisible World
Spiegel&Grav see Random 2009 317p 25.00
978-0-385-52796-5 hs/adult E
This award winning author’s second novel is set in Indonesia. Intrigue, suspense and interpersonal relationships build the story of sixteen year old Adam who is caught in the political turmoil of postcolonial Indonesia and family upheaval . This award winning author’s second novel is set in Indonesia. Intrigue, suspense and interpersonal relationships build the story of sixteen year old Adam who is caught in the political turmoil of postcolonial Indonesia and revolves upon the upheaval it presents in his life. Adam had been abandoned by his mother as a child. His brother was adopted by another family and his voice is part of the story, too. Adam is being raised by Karl, a man of Dutch descent. When Sukarno, the leader of Indonesia, wants to rid the country of any remnants of its colonial past,Karl is arrested and taken away. Adam tries to find Karl and goes to the city of Jakarta with little to go on. He has some letters and photos. One contact, an American woman, Margaret, who has had a past with Karl, enters the picture. The characters are fully delineated and the plot moves along at a pace that will keep the reader turning pages to find out what will happen next. Lives are changed by politics, betrayal, and love in this title with a surprising ending. Both poignant and thrilling, this book will be of interest to mature readers in high school and above. It could have been a Tristate Book of Note, but it has a 2009 copyright date and now we are reading for the 2010/2011 list. Recommended for high school libraries and above. Weinraub, Tina

Madigan, L.K. Flash Burnout.

Madigan, L.K. Flash Burnout.
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2009 332p 16.00
978-0-547-19489-9 ms/hs
Can a boy have both a girlfriend and a girl friend? Photography is the lens through which Black tries to understand the female mindset while growing into manhood. Belly laughs and insightful moments for both male and female readers. Grades 8-12. Blake is in love with his girlfriend, Shannon, who shares his quirky sense of humor. He shares his passion for photography with Marissa, a girl in his class. Marissa and he become closer when he photographs a homeless person in a skid row portion of town. When he asks for her comments, she freaks out as she recognizes the homeless person as her mother. Blake keeps her secret and befriends her as they search for her mother, first on the streets, then the morgue. As Blake grows into manhood during the course of the novel, he is constantly befuddled by the workings of the female mind. He juggles his girl friend and her problems as well as his girlfriend and all her drama. Funny conversations about family, teachers and fellow classmates will resonate with any high school student. First time author Madigan has the pulse of high school life. Blake is a “good guy” who in a weak moment destroys his relationship with Shannon, tries but cannot solve the guilt and problems of Marissa, gets his driver’s license, and comes to understand that loyalty, love, and friendship have consequences when trust is breached. Each chapter starts with a quote about photography some serious, some funny. A playlist of songs to help Blake cope with his lost love complete the book. Blake is a wonderfully funny guy that anyone would like to have as a friend. Grades 8-12. Realistic Fiction McNicol,Lois