Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga of Tynga's Reviews. Pop on over to share your new books and ogle what other bloggers got.
FedEx delivered the box I shipped to myself from Midwinter today! The books divide rather nicely into middle grade and YA, with three sorta in between. Here they are alphabetically by title:
Publisher synopsis: It's summer before eighth grade, and Erica "Chia" Montenegro is feeling so many things that she needs a mood ring to keep track of her emotions. She's happy when she hangs out with her best friends, the Robins. She's jealous that her genius little sister skipped two grades. And she's passionate about the crushes on her Boyfriend Wish list. And when Erica's mom is diagnosed with breast cancer, she feels worried and doesn't know what she can do to help.
When her family visits a cuarto de milagros, a miracle room in a famous church, Erica decides to make a promesa to God in exchange for her mom's health. As her mom gets sicker, Erica quickly learns that juggling family, friends, school, and fulfilling a promesa is stressful, but with a little bit of hope and a lot of love, she just might be able to figure it out.
Confetti Girl author Diana Lopez returns with this sweet, funny, and utterly honest story about being a girl in a world full of good (and bad) surprises.
The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis. Book 1 of the Seven Wonders series. 368 p. HarperCollins Publishers, February 5, 2013. 9780062070401.
Publisher synopsis:
One Boy
Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he's going to die.
One Mission
Jack needs to find seven magic loculi that, when combined, have the power to cure him.
One Problem
The loculi are the relics of a lost civilization and haven't been seen in thousands of years.
Seven Wonders
Because they're hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The thrills begin in The Colossus Rises, the first installment in the epic seven-book adventure series Seven Wonders, from master storyteller and bestselling 39 Clues series author Peter Lerangis. The highly anticipated series has received early praise from Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, who says, "A high-octane mix of modern adventure and ancient secrets, The Colossus Rises is Lerangis's most gripping work yet. Young readers will love this story. I can't wait to see what's next in the Seven Wonders series!"
The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy. 496 p. Walden Pond Press/ HarperCollins Publishers,
April 30, 2013. 9780062118455.
Publisher synopsis: Prince Liam, Prince Frederic, Prince Duncan, and Prince Gustav, the charming princes from the fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Briar Rose, saved the countryside from an evil witch in The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. And now, they have to save the day again, by keeping a magical object from falling into the hands of power-mad warlords who would use it for evil.
The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle is the second in Christopher Healy’s funny and action-packed middle-grade series, the perfect pick for kids who love the Shrek movies and readers who like their fantasy adventures with a heaping helping of humor.
The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle is the second in Christopher Healy’s funny and action-packed middle-grade series, the perfect pick for kids who love the Shrek movies and readers who like their fantasy adventures with a heaping helping of humor.
I'd better read the first installment ASAP!
Iva Honeysuckle Meets her Match by Candice Ransom. Illustrated by Heather Ross. 186 p. Disney/ Hyperion Books, June 11, 2013. 9781423135142.
Publisher synopsis: Uncertain, Virginia is no place for an explorer like Iva Honeysuckle to spend the summer. When Iva finds out her family is going on vacation, she's thrilled. She knows she will make her next great discovery at Stingray Point. The very name promises adventure and danger.
Iva soon realizes that Stingray Point isn't the exciting place she thought it was. But then Iva hears about the legend of Chessie, the town's very own sea monster. Spotting Chessie would blow all other discoveries out of the water.
Stalking a sea monster isn't as easy as it looks. Iva needs a partner—all the best discoverers have one. Iva may have the brains and determination to find Chessie, but she needs someone with a healthy dose of luck. When Iva realizes just who happens to be her perfect match, it will be her greatest discovery of all.
Like Bug Juice on a Burger by Julie Sternberg. Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. 176 p. Amulet Books/ Abrams, April 2, 2013. 9781419701900.
Publisher synopsis: I hate camp. I just hate it. I wish I didn’t. But I do. Being here is worse than bug juice on a burger. Or homework on Thanksgiving. Or water seeping into my shoes.
In this sequel to the critically acclaimed Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie, Eleanor is off to summer camp. At first she’s excited to carry on the family tradition at Camp Wallumwahpuck, but when she gets there she finds icky bugs, terrible food, and worst of all: swim class, where she just can’t seem to keep up with everyone else. But as the days go on, Eleanor realizes that even the most miserable situations can be full of special surprises and that growing up is full of belly flops.
I totally fell in love with Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and snapped this baby up as soon as my greedy eyes fell upon it.
Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr. The Blackwell Pages, bk. 1. 358 p. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, May 7, 2013. 9780316204965.
Publisher synopsis: In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarok, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters—wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.
The gods died a long time ago.
Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history—because it isfamily history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.
However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids—led by Matt—will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.
Norse mythology (about which I always wanted to know more) + Melissa Marr! Sounds like just the book to give to kids who come into the library wanting a book just like...;-)
Pi in the Sky by Wendy Mass. 244 p. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, June 11, 2013. 9780316089166.
Publisher synopsis: Joss is the seventh son of the Supreme Overlord of the Universe, and all he gets to do is deliver pies. That's right: pies. Of course these pies actually hold the secrets of the universe between their buttery crusts, but they're still pies.
Joss comes from a family of overachievers, and is happy to let his older brothers shine. But when Earth suddenly disappears, Joss is tasked with the not-so-simple job of bringing it back. With the help of an outspoken girl from Earth named Annika, Joss embarks on the adventure of a lifetime and learns that the universe is an even stranger place than he'd imagined.
My students and I adore Wendy Mass. Can't wait to read and share this one!
Playing with Fire by Bruce Hale. School for S.P.I.E.S. book 1. 306 p. Disney/ Hyperion Books, June 25, 2013. 9781423168508
Publisher synopsis: Juvenile delinquent and budding pyromaniac Max Segredo belongs in juvie hall. At least, that’s what his most recent foster family would tell you. Instead, Max ends up on the doorstep of Merry Sunshine Orphanage—their very heavily guarded doorstep. As he begins to acclimate to his new home, Max learns a few things straightaway: first, cracking a Caesar Cipher isn’t as hard as it seems; second, never sass your instructor if she’s also holding throwing knives; and third, he may not be an orphan after all. Soon, Max and the rest of the students are sent on a mission to keep a dangerous weapon out of the hands of LOTUS, an international group bent on world domination. Of course, all Max cares about is finding out more about his father, the man he’s now sure is still alive. As the stakes get higher, Max must make some difficult choices, including who to trust, and finally learns the true meaning of family.
Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes. 276 p. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, May 7, 2013. 9780316043052.
Publisher synopsis: Ten-year-old Sugar lives on the River Road sugar plantation along the banks of the Mississippi. Slavery is over, but laboring in the fields all day doesn't make her feel very free. Thankfully, Sugar has a knack for finding her own fun, especially when she joins forces with forbidden friend Billy, the white plantation owner's son.
Sugar has always yearned to learn more about the world, and she sees her chance when Chinese workers are brought in to help harvest the cane. The older River Road folks feel threatened, but Sugar is fascinated. As she befriends young Beau and elder Master Liu, they introduce her to the traditions of their culture, and she, in turn, shares the ways of plantation life. Sugar soon realizes that she must be the one to bridge the cultural gap and bring the community together. Here is a story of unlikely friendships and how they can change our lives forever.
A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff. 229 p. Philomel Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group, February 12, 2013. 9780399255175.
Publisher synopsis: Told in multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever. However, these encounters hold the key to Cady's past and how she became an orphan. If she's lucky, fate may reunite her with her long-lost parent.
Lisa Graff adds a pinch of magic to a sharply crafted plot to create a novel that will have readers wondering about fate and the way we're all connected.
Phew! That's ten middle grade novels! If you stuck with me to the very end, thanks so much! I'm going to be very busy for awhile so you might not hear from me on Stacking the Shelves for a few weeks. I have one pre-order due this week but, I will not order anything till I plow through these babies.
What's new with you? Happy Reading!!
No comments:
Post a Comment