What's New? Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Hop on over there to ogle what other bloggers got this week.

For review:

Castle in the Mist by Amy Ephron. 170 p. Philomel Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group, February 7, 2017. 9780399546983.

Publisher synopsis: In the tradition of Edward Eager and E.L. Konigsburg, a novel about the excitement—and the dangers—of wishing.

Tess and her brother, Max, are sent for the summer to their aunt’s sleepy village in the English countryside, where excitement is as rare as a good wifi signal. So when Tess stumbles upon an old brass key that unlocks an ornately carved gate, attached to a strangely invisible wall, she jumps at the chance for adventure. And the world beyond the gate doesn’t disappoint. She finds rose gardens, a maze made of hedges, and a boy named William who is just as lonely as she is.
 
But at William’s castle, strange things begin to happen. Carnival games are paid for in wishes, dreams seem to come alive, and then there's William's eerie warning: Beware of the hawthorn trees. A warning that chills Tess to the bone.
 
In a magical, fantasy world that blurs the line between reality and imagination, readers are left to wonder exactly what they’d wish for if wishes could come true. Perfect for fans of Half Magicand The Secret Garden—and for anyone who's ever wondered if magic is real.

Ms. Ephron is making her children's debut with this. 

 

Sharks! by Lori Stein. Animal Planet Chapter Books. 9781618934321.

Dinosaurs! by Laurie Stein. Animal Planet Chapter Books. Both are 112 p. Liberty Street/ Time Inc., October 18, 2016. 9781618931863.
Publisher synopsis: Animal Planet introduces information-packed nonfiction chapter books that are just right for pleasure reading and schoolwork.

Purchased: Went a little wild this week.

Best Man by Richard Peck. Unabridged audiobook on 4 compact discs. 4.5 hours. Read by Michael Crouch. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, September, 2016. 9781735288867.

Publisher synopsis: Archer Magill has spent a lively five years of grade school with one eye out in search of grown-up role models. Three of the best are his grandpa, the great architect; his dad, the great vintage car customizer,; and his uncle Paul, who is just plain great. These are the three he wants to be. Along the way he finds a fourth—Mr. McLeod, a teacher. In fact, the first male teacher in the history of the school.

But now here comes middle school and puberty. Change. Archer wonders how much change has to happen before his voice does. He doesn't see too far ahead, so every day or so a startling revelation breaks over him. Then a really big one when he's the best man at the wedding of two of his role models. But that gets ahead of the story.

In pages that ripple with laughter, there's a teardrop here and there. And more than a few insights about the bewildering world of adults, made by a boy on his way to being the best man he can be.

Memory of Light by Francisco X. Stork. Unabridged audiobook on 8 compact discs. 9 hours, 19 minutes. Read by Frankie Corzo. Scholastic Audiobooks, January, 2016. 9780545910934.

Publisher synopsis: When Vicky Cruz wakes up in the Lakeview Hospital Mental Disorders ward, she knows one thing: She can't even commit suicide right. But there she meets Mona, the live wire; Gabriel, the saint; E.M., always angry; and Dr. Desai, a quiet force. With stories and honesty, kindness and hard work, they push her to reconsider her life before Lakeview, and offer her an acceptance she's never had.

But Vicky's newfound peace is as fragile as the roses that grow around the hospital. And when a crisis forces the group to split up, sending Vick back to the life that drove her to suicide, she must try to find her own courage  and strength. She may not have them. She doesn't know.

Inspired in part by the author's own experience with depression, The Memory of Light is the rare young adult novel that focuses not on the events leading up to a suicide attempt, but the recovery from one -- about living when life doesn't seem worth it, and how we go on anyway.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston. Unabridged audiobook on 6 compact discs. 6.5 hours. Read by Jorjeana Marie. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, March, 2016. 9780399566028.

Publisher synopsis: Veronica Mars meets William Shakespeare in a brave and unforgettable YA heroine whose story will inspire and provoke.

Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, and in tiny Palermo Heights, this doesn’t mean what you think it means. At PHHS, the cheerleaders don't cheer for the sports teams; theyare the sports team—the pride and joy of a small town. The team's summer training camp is Hermione's last and marks the beginning of the end of…she’s not sure what. She does know this season could make her a legend. But during a camp party, someone slips something in her drink. And it all goes black.

In every class, there's a star cheerleader and a pariah pregnant girl. They're never supposed to be the same person. Hermione struggles to regain the control she's always had and faces a wrenching decision about how to move on. The rape wasn't the beginning of Hermione Winter's story and she's not going to let it be the end. She won’t be anyone’s cautionary tale.

I actually splurged and spent more than I am usually willing, on this one because of the words, "Veronica Mars meets."

The Magic Words by Cheryl B. Klein. 368 p. W.W.Norton & Company, Inc., September, 2016. 9780393292244.

Publisher synopsis: This master class in writing children’s and young adult novels will teach you everything you need to know to write and publish a great book.
The best children’s and young adult novels take readers on wonderful outward adventures and stirring inward journeys. In The Magic Words, editor Cheryl B. Klein guides writers on an enjoyable and practical-minded voyage of their own, from developing a saleable premise for a novel to finding a dream agent. She delves deep into the major elements of fiction—intention, character, plot, and voice—while addressing important topics like diversity, world-building, and the differences between middle-grade and YA novels. In addition, the book’s exercises, questions, and straightforward rules of thumb help writers apply these insights to their own creative works. With its generous tone and useful tools for story analysis and revision, The Magic Words is an essential handbook for writers of children’s and young adult fiction.

Scrooge #worstgiftever by Charles Dickens and Brett Wright. OMG Classics series. 90 p. Random House, September, 2016. 9780399550645.
Publisher synopsis: A Christmas Carol, one of the holiday’s greatest traditions told . . . in texts?!
 
Imagine: What if Scrooge, Marley, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and the whole Cratchit family had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this clever adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol! 
 
One grouchy old man who can’t stop asking “How did you get this number?!”
Three ghosts who communicate in the most modern ways, including one who ONLY uses emojis!
And a status update with the most “likes” ever: God bless us, everyone!
 
This retelling will cure even the worst bout of Bah hummingbird! #darnyouautocorrect 
 A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. 

Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to (Not) Growing Up by Tommy Greenwald. Charlie Joe Jackson series #6. Unabridged audiobook on 1 MP3 CD. 3 hours, 15  minutes. Read by MacLeod Andrews. Brilliance Audio, August, 2016. 9781531846628.
Publisher synopsis: As graduation day approaches, Charlie Joe is starting to realize being a kid isn't so bad after all, in this hilarious, final installment of the Charlie Joe Jackson series.

Yes! Graduation day is finally here! Charlie Joe has been waiting for this moment his entire middle school career. This might even be the best day of his life. No more teachers! No more books! Just make it through the ceremony and he's free. But suddenly things around him are starting to change. Words like responsibility and college prep keep popping out of his friend's mouths. What happened to words like fun and pool party? And come to think of it, doesn't high school bring more teachers and more books? Maybe this whole growing up thing isn't such a good idea after all. Actually, being a kid is pretty darn fun! Surely Charlie Joe can figure out a way to put the brakes on growing up—and fast!

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the three magical children and their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz. Unabridged audiobook on 8 compact discs. 10 hours. Read by a the author and a full cast. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing, September, 2016. 9780735287365.
Publisher synopsis: The bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm takes on medieval times in an exciting and hilarious new adventure about history, religion . . . and farting dragons.

 
1242. On a dark night, travelers from across France cross paths at an inn and begin to tell stories of three children: William, an oblate on a mission from his monastery; Jacob, a Jewish boy who has fled his burning village; and Jeanne, a peasant girl who hides her prophetic visions. They are accompanied by Jeanne's loyal greyhound, Gwenforte . . . recently brought back from the dead.
As the narrator collects their tales, the story of these three unlikely allies begins to come together.

Their adventures take them on a chase through France to escape prejudice and persecution and save precious and holy texts from being burned. They’re taken captive by knights, sit alongside a king, and save the land from a farting dragon. And as their quest drives them forward to a final showdown at Mont Saint-Michel, all will come to question if these children can perform the miracles of saints.

Beloved bestselling author Adam Gidwitz makes his long awaited return with his first new world since his hilarious and critically acclaimed Grimm series. Filled with Adam’s trademark style and humor, The Inquisitor's Tale is bold storytelling that’s richly researched and adventure-packed.

Read by Vikas Adam, Mark Bramhall, Jonathan Cowley, Kimberly Farr, Adam Gidwitz, Ann Marie Lee, Bruce Mann, John H. Mayer, and Arthur Morey

Features medieval music performed by Benjamin Bagby of Sequentia.

That's what's new with me. What's new with you?