Big Nate: In A Class By Himself by Lincoln Peirce. Harper, 2010. 224 pages.

Nate is a funny and over confident middle schooler who manages to break the school record by receiving a detention for every period in one school day. Along the way we meet different school characters-- teachers and principals, friends and enemies-- who keep the story moving quickly and the mood funny and light. Some very funny words and cartoons-- Big Nate and all the other books in the series are sure to be very popular with kids 8 and up. Very Diary of a Wimpy Kid-ish, but this is a lesser product in terms of writing and style --no subtly here--and i agree with the reviewer who observed that adults and kids both love Diary of a Wimpy Kid but Big Nate is only for kids. And the kids will LOVE him.

NIght Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger. Abrams. 2010

While walking alone, late one night, Alexandra comes across a bookmobile, manned by a weird little librarian and full of all the books and ephemera that she, herself, has ever read. She is fascinated and forgets the time as she revisits her past-- books and journals, magazines and cereal boxes. When the sun rises the librarian tells her she must leave. She is now fascinated, even consumed with the bookmobile--it changes her life. She seeks and finds the bookmoble several more times in her life-- her life forever changed, as she reads to build her collection. Night Bookmobile, which always has a Twilight Zonish quality to it, takes a very dark- though not unanticipated-turn that is still very disturbing. A thought provoking story.

Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman. Clarion Books, 2010. 176 pages.

"Ye toads and vipers," the girl said, as her granny often had, "ye toads and vipers," and she snuffled a great snuffle that echoed in the empty room."
It is 16th Century Elizabethan London and 13 year old Meggy Swann, with her deformed legs and walking sticks, has just arrived from the country to live with the cold and distant father she has never met. But once this father, the odd and unfriendly Alchemist, realizes she is both deformed and female, Meggy is left to fend for herself-- virtually and then literally abandoned-- her only friend the equally bad tempered goose named Louise. But Karen Cushman's hallmark is the strong female character and Meggy is at the top of the list. She makes her way-- finding friends and allies and creating a life for herself that is both positive and believable within her historic context. I love Cushman-- for her strong female characters, clever and likable as well as for the beautiful and luscious language she employs to carry us away. Great for girls and anglophiles and lovers of Shakespearean insults.

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel. Scholastic Press, 2010. 375 pages.

It is the mid 1970s and 13 year old Ben has just relocated from Toronto to Victoria-- new school, new friends, new...brother? Ben's parents are scientists embarking on a new project: can our closest living relatives, chimpanzees, learn true language? Zan, a baby chimpanzee, joins the family to be raised as a human within the family. Initially reluctant, Ben gets more and more attached to Zan at the same time he must negotiate the minefields of middle school, social class, love, friendship, and family relationships. off to a somewhat slow start, Half Brother feels predictable and pleasant without being anything special-- at first. But the story and the characters slowly deepen and grow drawing us in with action and drama as well as the deeper philosophical questions of what it means to be human. The ending seems a little rushed. Still--thoughtful and provocative--lots to discuss here. I enjoyed it and recommend it.

Tinkers by Paul Harding.Bellevue Literary Press (2009), 192 pages.

Family gathers around an old man dying---he is taking stock of his life and remembering his own father's life, as he comes in and out of consciousness. A clock theme runs through story as the old mans life ticks away. Beautifully written-- luscious, really--a poetic quality to it -- the art of a few well chosen words. Introspective and beautifully sad. not for everyone.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Candlewick Press, 2006. 156 pages.

Seen every version of the movie possible, but i had never read the book before-- i loved it. Rich in detail and language and setting-- I now have some idea what it felt like to be in one of those crooked streets in London in 1843-- the smells and the dirt and soot and the closeness-- to put a hand out the window and almost touch the dirty window next door...The special foods and the games and the feel of it. i loved it and i am amazed at how true so many of the movies remained to the book. Dickens at his best, i think-- full of imagery and descriptive language and good and evil and redemption...at less than 200 pages. The illustrations help convey the mid 19th century feel. Brilliant.

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Little, Brown and Company, 2010. 217 pages

12 year old Lanesha lives in New Orlean's Ninth Ward. Her mother died in childbirth and she is being raised by Mama YaYA-- an 82 yr. old midwife and healer who keeps to the old ways. Lanesha is a powerful seer-- she sees ghosts everywhere-- her house, her school, her neighborhood--the other kids are afraid of her and so, always different-- Lanesha keeps to herself. When Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, Lanesha needs to stay strong and focused and trust in all she has learned in order to save herself and her family.
Beautifully written and well paced ---a coming of age story (of sorts) in the eye of Katrina. For Middle School and up-- reads like an adult novel. wonderful-- indie hit of the year.