Elkeles, Simone. Rules of Attraction
Walker & Co 2010 326p 16.99
978-0-8027-2085-6 hs Multicultural E-BN
Carlos is remanded to live with a college professor and his family after being set up in a drug search at high school. Carlos, a bit of a smart aleck and no fan of rules, learns about love as he falls for the daughter of the professor. A feel good novel. Grades 8-12.
A sequel to Perfect Chemistry, that is similar in theme. Carlos, a Mexican American, living with his brother Alex in Colorado Springs misses his gang friends in Chicago, Carlos is dismayed when he is set up during a drug search at school by a drug dealer who has merged his drug operation with the Chicago gang. Because Carlos won’t snitch, he is remanded to live with a college professor, his wife and two children, ever mindful that the drug dealer will extract a payment from Carlos. Carlos, never a fan of rules, has a hard time settling into the professor’s family life. He and Kiara, also a high school student, butt heads over almost everything. Carlos tries to stay tough, but finds himself warming up to the unconditional love of the parents. Told in alternating chapters between Carlos and Kiara, there is humor, playful insults, and finally a realization by Kiara that Carlos is really a good guy under his bravado and machismo. Love between them blossoms through a set of challenges that they throw at each other. An insightful look at the life of a troubled Mexican American who is placed in an affluent white household. The ending is rip-roaring dangerous. Great feel good reading. Grades 8-12.
Strongly recommended where Perfect Chemistry was popular. Insightful look at the life of a troubled Mexican American who is placed in an affluent white household. A truly feel good story that will be requested by girls in grades 8-12. McNicol,Lois
Showing posts with label Walker_CO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Walker_CO. Show all posts
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Rownen, Michelle. Reign or Shine (Demon Princess).
Rownen, Michelle. Reign or Shine (Demon Princess).
Walker & Co 2009 284p 9.99 978-0-8027-9534-2 hs
Nikki thinks someone’s stalking her just after her 16th birthday, but it’s Michael, a “Shadow” messenger, to tell her that her Demon King father is dying. Sixteen-year-old Nikki thinks someone’s stalking her just after her birthday, but it’s Michael, a “Shadow” messenger, come to tell her that her never-known Demon King father is dying. There’s lots of intrigue--her aunt Elizabeth is willing to follow as Queen of the Shadowlands (that protects our world from Hell)--and even humor and romance. Lots of choices to be made, a few unpredictable, that could impact her life forever. Should Nikki take the potion or remain a “Darkling” (half human)? Follow Michael (forbidden to her) or not? Tell high school social queen Melinda the truth? Better written than many popular copycat vampire titles and will be popular with high school students looking for more supernatural among us. Beginning of a series that will continue with the Faery King coming to high school, too. Gooden, Sue
Walker & Co 2009 284p 9.99 978-0-8027-9534-2 hs
Nikki thinks someone’s stalking her just after her 16th birthday, but it’s Michael, a “Shadow” messenger, to tell her that her Demon King father is dying. Sixteen-year-old Nikki thinks someone’s stalking her just after her birthday, but it’s Michael, a “Shadow” messenger, come to tell her that her never-known Demon King father is dying. There’s lots of intrigue--her aunt Elizabeth is willing to follow as Queen of the Shadowlands (that protects our world from Hell)--and even humor and romance. Lots of choices to be made, a few unpredictable, that could impact her life forever. Should Nikki take the potion or remain a “Darkling” (half human)? Follow Michael (forbidden to her) or not? Tell high school social queen Melinda the truth? Better written than many popular copycat vampire titles and will be popular with high school students looking for more supernatural among us. Beginning of a series that will continue with the Faery King coming to high school, too. Gooden, Sue
Myers, Anna. Time of the Witches.
Myers, Anna. Time of the Witches.
Walker & Co 2009 197p 16.99 978-0-8027-9820-6 ms/hs
The story of Drucilla helps readers understand the tension in Salem Village during the time period when witches were called out. Readers will also experience the power of group mania. Drucilla, an orphaned girl, loses her mother at birth. She is raised by Gabe’s mother. In time both children are orphans depending upon themselves for comfort. As they past from home to home they learn skills and grow closer together. It was not easy on them to be separated when their last foster family broke up. Gabe and Drucilla were given to two separate families in town. The people involved were relatives by blood but enemies in action. Unfortunately Drucilla went to the home of Ann Putnam. The Putnams lived across the street from the parish house. As a result the daughter, Ann, and Dru became friends with the minister’s daughter and niece, Abigail, and slave TiTuba. Mistress Putnam was was a vengenful person who was an instigator in starting the calling out of witches. She worked with Reverend Samuel Parris to bring a reign of terror to the small Massachusetts town as innocent folks were declared witches and hanged. The author has written a book that will help young readers to understand that peer pressure and group powers can sway people to a course of action that is not always true to the facts involved. They will also she that Dru, an orphan, wanted to be needed more than anything in the world. In addition the readers will get an insight into a historical event. Historical McNeil, Linda
Walker & Co 2009 197p 16.99 978-0-8027-9820-6 ms/hs
The story of Drucilla helps readers understand the tension in Salem Village during the time period when witches were called out. Readers will also experience the power of group mania. Drucilla, an orphaned girl, loses her mother at birth. She is raised by Gabe’s mother. In time both children are orphans depending upon themselves for comfort. As they past from home to home they learn skills and grow closer together. It was not easy on them to be separated when their last foster family broke up. Gabe and Drucilla were given to two separate families in town. The people involved were relatives by blood but enemies in action. Unfortunately Drucilla went to the home of Ann Putnam. The Putnams lived across the street from the parish house. As a result the daughter, Ann, and Dru became friends with the minister’s daughter and niece, Abigail, and slave TiTuba. Mistress Putnam was was a vengenful person who was an instigator in starting the calling out of witches. She worked with Reverend Samuel Parris to bring a reign of terror to the small Massachusetts town as innocent folks were declared witches and hanged. The author has written a book that will help young readers to understand that peer pressure and group powers can sway people to a course of action that is not always true to the facts involved. They will also she that Dru, an orphan, wanted to be needed more than anything in the world. In addition the readers will get an insight into a historical event. Historical McNeil, Linda
Grant, K. M. White Heat
Grant, K. M. White Heat
Walker & Co 2009 260p 16.99 978-0-8027-9695-0 ms/hs Raimon, having escaped being burned as a heretic, gives up the search for his lover, Yolanda, and joins Sir Parsifal in the Occitan rebellion against the French takeover of Languedoc. Book 2 of the Perfect Fire Trilogy concentrates more on the characters than the historical conflict. Grant weaves the historical fact of the century Albigensian crusade into the fiber of this seemingly doomed love story. Raimon, gives up searching for Yolanda, and agrees to help Sir Parsifal, the Keeper of the Blue Flame to fight against the French forces trying to take over Languedoc (Occitan). Yolanda, in the meantime, fearing Raimon dead, is taken off to Paris, where she agrees to marry Sir Hugh des Arcis. Sir Hugh turns out to be a much kinder character than he seemed in The Blue Flame, and this change sets up a love triangle, and a showdown for the third book in the trilogy. The characters become stronger in this volume, and the dangers of the rebellion, Raimon’s trials and Yolanda’s ambiguity make for a thrilling and compelling ride back to the 13th century. Well-researched, well-told story that will keep readers of the first volume eagerly awaiting the third and final volume in the trilogy. This volume can stand on its own, but readers will want to go back and read the first volume. Historical Naismith, Pat
Walker & Co 2009 260p 16.99 978-0-8027-9695-0 ms/hs Raimon, having escaped being burned as a heretic, gives up the search for his lover, Yolanda, and joins Sir Parsifal in the Occitan rebellion against the French takeover of Languedoc. Book 2 of the Perfect Fire Trilogy concentrates more on the characters than the historical conflict. Grant weaves the historical fact of the century Albigensian crusade into the fiber of this seemingly doomed love story. Raimon, gives up searching for Yolanda, and agrees to help Sir Parsifal, the Keeper of the Blue Flame to fight against the French forces trying to take over Languedoc (Occitan). Yolanda, in the meantime, fearing Raimon dead, is taken off to Paris, where she agrees to marry Sir Hugh des Arcis. Sir Hugh turns out to be a much kinder character than he seemed in The Blue Flame, and this change sets up a love triangle, and a showdown for the third book in the trilogy. The characters become stronger in this volume, and the dangers of the rebellion, Raimon’s trials and Yolanda’s ambiguity make for a thrilling and compelling ride back to the 13th century. Well-researched, well-told story that will keep readers of the first volume eagerly awaiting the third and final volume in the trilogy. This volume can stand on its own, but readers will want to go back and read the first volume. Historical Naismith, Pat
Friday, April 9, 2010
Kneece, Mark. The Midnight Sun.
Kneece, Mark The Midnight Sun
Walker_Co 2009 106p 9.99 978-0-8027-9721-6 ms/hs
Rod Serling's Twilight Zone (Walker)
Everyone has moved out of New York City as the world is coming to an end due to extreme heat. Mrs. Bronson and Norma Smith remain to battle the elements, and in a twist at the end, are caught in a different dying world, that of extreme cold. Carol Serling knows that to keep Rod’s brilliant scripts of the 60s alive, she must appeal to a target audience of children and young adults. Mark Kneece and Anthony Spay have converted 8 of the best of Serling’s TV shows to graphic novels whose characters come alive and whose plots combine action with psychological studies. As Anna M. Burgard states in her introduction, Serling was able to combine a variety of themes with entertainment. In The Midnight Sun, two survivors shore up in their apartment while the world is going crazy below due to global warming. They witness horrific acts of human depredation below, yet they hang on. In an attempt to help the ever weakening Mrs. Bronson, Norma paints a waterfall scene, which gives temporary respite to her. When a man who is desperately seeking water breaks into their apartment, they fight back, but it is futile. He shares his own desperation at losing his wife and new baby, then runs into the street below, only to meet his demise. Imagine our surprise when Norma wakes up from a fever, and as she is comforted by Mrs. Bronson and her doctor, we learn that the world is actually on the verge of collapse due to freezing climate. The world is going to end and the helplessness and hopelessness of its inhabitants are cleverly taught by Serling in his original script, and now by Mark Kneece in this powerful adaptation. With a list of characters of the TV show at the end of the novel, the reader is made to feel as if he has just read a play. Production notes serve to show us how the show was filmed, adding an extra element of spice to the already “spicy” script. Finally, Mark Kneece tells us what he did to create this series in an informative and interesting conclusion. Serling’s creations do so much more than represent the genre of science fiction. They are studies of mankind’s foibles, follies and fabrications. Squaresky, Martha
Walker_Co 2009 106p 9.99 978-0-8027-9721-6 ms/hs
Rod Serling's Twilight Zone (Walker)
Everyone has moved out of New York City as the world is coming to an end due to extreme heat. Mrs. Bronson and Norma Smith remain to battle the elements, and in a twist at the end, are caught in a different dying world, that of extreme cold. Carol Serling knows that to keep Rod’s brilliant scripts of the 60s alive, she must appeal to a target audience of children and young adults. Mark Kneece and Anthony Spay have converted 8 of the best of Serling’s TV shows to graphic novels whose characters come alive and whose plots combine action with psychological studies. As Anna M. Burgard states in her introduction, Serling was able to combine a variety of themes with entertainment. In The Midnight Sun, two survivors shore up in their apartment while the world is going crazy below due to global warming. They witness horrific acts of human depredation below, yet they hang on. In an attempt to help the ever weakening Mrs. Bronson, Norma paints a waterfall scene, which gives temporary respite to her. When a man who is desperately seeking water breaks into their apartment, they fight back, but it is futile. He shares his own desperation at losing his wife and new baby, then runs into the street below, only to meet his demise. Imagine our surprise when Norma wakes up from a fever, and as she is comforted by Mrs. Bronson and her doctor, we learn that the world is actually on the verge of collapse due to freezing climate. The world is going to end and the helplessness and hopelessness of its inhabitants are cleverly taught by Serling in his original script, and now by Mark Kneece in this powerful adaptation. With a list of characters of the TV show at the end of the novel, the reader is made to feel as if he has just read a play. Production notes serve to show us how the show was filmed, adding an extra element of spice to the already “spicy” script. Finally, Mark Kneece tells us what he did to create this series in an informative and interesting conclusion. Serling’s creations do so much more than represent the genre of science fiction. They are studies of mankind’s foibles, follies and fabrications. Squaresky, Martha
The Odyssey of Flight 33
Kneece, Mark. The Odyssey of Flight 33 (from The Twilight Zone series)
Walker & Co 2009 66 9.99 978-0-8027-9719-3 ms/hs
Rod Serling's Twilight Zone (Walker)
In this graphic novel, Rod Serling’s former television series is adapted and supported with tremendous illustrations, as Mark Kneece retells the story of a plane that gets lost en route to JFK, enters a series of different time periods, and spends eternity searching for the correct one. It takes only a few pages to train oneself to read a graphic novel. The smooth-flowing style and the exciting graphics bring one of Rod Serling’s scripts to life again! Who will not want to read a story of terrorism and fear on a plane? In The Odyssey of Flight 33, the passengers are initially unaware of the problems in the cockpit as the pilots lose control and the plane accelerates on its own. The actions switches continually from the cockpit to the passenger area where an irate, emotionally agitated, former pilot is starting to cause trouble. Panic sets in when the plane can’t find JFK airport! The next harrowing moment occurs when they see the city of New York as it was in 1939! It seems that the plane keeps changing time periods, never able to find its course! In another time warp, one sees dinosaurs, and a unstable passenger, fearing his death, jumps from the plane! The pilot must finally explain to the terrified passengers that the plane has veered off course and gone back in time only to realize that when he re-plots his coordinates, he has now gone forward in time. The reader is left to ponder the fate of Flight 33. Rod Serling always leaves you wanting more, and the master is back! What better way to scare than to experience terror on a plane where one has no options but to sit and wonder if he will ever get out of The Twilight Zone. Mark Kneece ends the book with a two-page study of how he adapted the original script, trying to do the least amount of damage in creating a graphic novel yet retaining the uniqueness of Rod Serling’s work.
Squaresky, Martha
Walker & Co 2009 66 9.99 978-0-8027-9719-3 ms/hs
Rod Serling's Twilight Zone (Walker)
In this graphic novel, Rod Serling’s former television series is adapted and supported with tremendous illustrations, as Mark Kneece retells the story of a plane that gets lost en route to JFK, enters a series of different time periods, and spends eternity searching for the correct one. It takes only a few pages to train oneself to read a graphic novel. The smooth-flowing style and the exciting graphics bring one of Rod Serling’s scripts to life again! Who will not want to read a story of terrorism and fear on a plane? In The Odyssey of Flight 33, the passengers are initially unaware of the problems in the cockpit as the pilots lose control and the plane accelerates on its own. The actions switches continually from the cockpit to the passenger area where an irate, emotionally agitated, former pilot is starting to cause trouble. Panic sets in when the plane can’t find JFK airport! The next harrowing moment occurs when they see the city of New York as it was in 1939! It seems that the plane keeps changing time periods, never able to find its course! In another time warp, one sees dinosaurs, and a unstable passenger, fearing his death, jumps from the plane! The pilot must finally explain to the terrified passengers that the plane has veered off course and gone back in time only to realize that when he re-plots his coordinates, he has now gone forward in time. The reader is left to ponder the fate of Flight 33. Rod Serling always leaves you wanting more, and the master is back! What better way to scare than to experience terror on a plane where one has no options but to sit and wonder if he will ever get out of The Twilight Zone. Mark Kneece ends the book with a two-page study of how he adapted the original script, trying to do the least amount of damage in creating a graphic novel yet retaining the uniqueness of Rod Serling’s work.
Squaresky, Martha
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Perfect Chemistry.
Elkeles, Simone. Perfect Chemistry.
Walker & Co 2009 360p 9.99 9780802798220 hs
Alex Fuentes is a gang member. Brittany Ellis is a blonde cheerleader from a wealthy family. Two teenagers from different worlds are about to collide and crossover boundaries into an unknown destiny of love and discovery. What transpires is a perfect chemistry that will have everyone questioning their values, feelings and reevaluating of their lives. A must read! Brittany appears to be the perfect golden girl head cheerleader, blonde wind blown hair, blue eyes, good grades and dating the captain of the football team. What no one knows is that Brittany leads a secret life full of family problems and is dealing with the care of a beloved sister that suffers from cerebral palsy.
Alejandro "Alex" fuentes is a gang member, owns a motorcycle, and acts as if he is the man to be feared on campus. The truth; Alex fears for his two younger brothers and is hoping to be able to keep them from joining the gang. He is going to make sure they have a future even if it means he will have to sacrifice himself.
Then comes the day when school starts and in chemistry class the perfect girl has to sit next to the "mean" gang member. Mrs. Peterson the chemistry teacher is a teacher to be reckoned with and what she says goes. The project should have been simple but life is not simple and love is fickle. When Brittany and Alex sit next to each other and must interact with each other sparks always fly. But are these sparks the beginning of something else? The crossover is not easy and leaving the gang is not like getting out of a club. The choices these two teens face is full of questions, uncertainties, strange friendships, violence and even death.
Teens will love this book!!! MD
Walker & Co 2009 360p 9.99 9780802798220 hs
Alex Fuentes is a gang member. Brittany Ellis is a blonde cheerleader from a wealthy family. Two teenagers from different worlds are about to collide and crossover boundaries into an unknown destiny of love and discovery. What transpires is a perfect chemistry that will have everyone questioning their values, feelings and reevaluating of their lives. A must read! Brittany appears to be the perfect golden girl head cheerleader, blonde wind blown hair, blue eyes, good grades and dating the captain of the football team. What no one knows is that Brittany leads a secret life full of family problems and is dealing with the care of a beloved sister that suffers from cerebral palsy.
Alejandro "Alex" fuentes is a gang member, owns a motorcycle, and acts as if he is the man to be feared on campus. The truth; Alex fears for his two younger brothers and is hoping to be able to keep them from joining the gang. He is going to make sure they have a future even if it means he will have to sacrifice himself.
Then comes the day when school starts and in chemistry class the perfect girl has to sit next to the "mean" gang member. Mrs. Peterson the chemistry teacher is a teacher to be reckoned with and what she says goes. The project should have been simple but life is not simple and love is fickle. When Brittany and Alex sit next to each other and must interact with each other sparks always fly. But are these sparks the beginning of something else? The crossover is not easy and leaving the gang is not like getting out of a club. The choices these two teens face is full of questions, uncertainties, strange friendships, violence and even death.
Teens will love this book!!! MD
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