Bought:
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Extra Credit (CJJ series #2) by Tommy Greenwald. Unabridged audiobook on one MP3-CD, 4 hrs. 26 mins. Performed by MacLeod Andrews. Brilliance Audio, April 2, 2013. 9781469282503.
Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Summer Vacation (CJJ series #3) by Tommy Greenwald. Unabridged audiobook on one MP3-CD, 3 hrs. 54 mins. Performed by MacLeod Andrews. Brilliance Audio, May 7, 2013. 9781480504899.
Followers with good memory might be feeling a bit of deja vu. I did feature CJJ #3 in my STS post last week. I bought the book. I also read it this week and will be reviewing it this weekend. (Stay tuned)
Something made me look to see if the sequels were recorded and, be still my heart, it was! CJJ#2 is playing in my car right now. Can't get enough of my favorite reluctant reader.
PS: If you live in the NYC area, the author is signing books at Books of Wonder tomorrow (Sunday, May 19), along with four or five other authors. I'm tempted to go, but my garden beckons. We'll see which wins.
For review:
The school and public librarian book evaluation group met this week and I chose seven books to review:
Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes. 213 p. Candlewick Press, April 23, 213. 9780763660376.
Publisher synopsis: In her first novel, beloved author Shirley Hughes presents a World War II adventure proving that in extraordinary circumstances, people are capable of extraordinary things.
Italy, 1944: Florence is occupied by Nazi forces. The Italian resistance movement has not given up hope, though — and neither have thirteen-year- old Paolo and his sister, Costanza. As their mother is pressured into harboring escaping POWs, Paolo and Costanza each find a part to play in opposing the German forces. Both are desperate to fight the occupation, but what can two siblings — with only a bicycle to help them — do against a whole army? Middle-grade fans of history and adventure will be riveted by the action and the vividly evoked tension of World War II.
I happen to adore Shirley Hughes' picture books and have a fairly large collection. I even sent to the UK for some titles that were unavailable in the U.S. So I'm very excited for this, her debut novel.
ChickenHare by Chris Grine. 157 p. Graphix/ Scholastic, Inc., February, 2013. 9780545485081.
Publisher synopsis: Chickenhare: half chicken, half rabbit, 100% hero!
What's a chickenhare? A cross between a chicken and a rabbit, of course. And that makes Chickenhare the rarest animal around! So when he and his turtle friend Abe are captured and sold to the evil taxidermist Klaus, they've got to find a way to escape before Klaus turns them into stuffed animals. With the help of two other strange creatures, Banjo and Meg, they might even get away. But with Klaus and his thugs hot on their trail, the adventure is only just beginning for this unlikely quartet of friends.
Ruby Redfort: Take Your Last Breath (Ruby Redfort series #2) by Lauren Child. 432 p. Candlewick Press, May 14, 2013. 9780763654689.
Publisher synopsis: Crack open Ruby Redfort’s second adventure — and you will literally be on the edge of your wits.
Everyone’s favorite girl detective is back for a second mind-blowing installment, packed with all the off-the-wall humor, action, and friendship of the first book. This time, though, it’s an adventure on the wide-open ocean, and Ruby is all at sea. . . . Can she crack the case of the Twinford pirates while evading the clutches of a vile sea monster as well as the evil Count von Viscount? Well, you wouldn’t want to bet against her.
I have to say the cover graphic does not do justice to the color of the actual book, which is eye-popping neon.
Formerly Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham. 341 p. Candlewick Press, May 14, 2013. 9780763653620.
Publisher synopsis: Jane Arrowood, otherwise known as Shark Girl, has been living with just one arm for over a year. Now she’s searching for a new normal.
It’s been a year since the shark attack that took Jane’s arm, and with it, everything she used to take for granted. Her dream of becoming an artist is on the line, and everything now seems out of reach, including her gorgeous, kind tutor, Max Shannon. While a perfectly nice guy from her science class is clearly interested in Jane — removing her fear that no one ever would want a one-armed girl — Jane can’t stop thinking about Max. But is his interest romantic? Or does he just feel sorry for her? Formerly Shark Girl picks up where Kelly Bingham’s artful, honest debut novel left off, following Jane as she deals with a career choice (should she "give back" by trying to become a nurse, or is art an equally valid calling?) along with family changes and her first real romance — all while remembering who she was before she was Shark Girl and figuring out who she is now.
Casualties of War (Vietnam: book four) by Chris Lynch. 182 p. Scholastic Press, January, 2013. 9780545270236.
Publisher synopsis: Morris, Rudi, Ivan, and Beck are best friends for life. So when one of the teens is drafted into the Vietnam War, the others sign up, too. Although they each serve in a different branch, they are fighting the war together -- and they promise to do all they can to come home together.
Of the four, it's Beck that has the most to lose. He's the smart one of the bunch, and he could be -- SHOULD be -- going to college. His parents certainly think so. But he has a pact to honor, and so Beck enlists in the US Air Force.
As their tours of duty near completion and the war itself spirals further out of control, the four best friends are at last on a collision course. Will they all survive long enough to be reunited?
The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson. 289 p. Arthur A. Levine Books/ Scholastic Inc., March, 2013. 9780545417792.
Publisher synopsis: A heart-stopping story of love, death, technology, and art set amid the tropics of a futuristic Brazil.
The lush city of Palmares Tres shimmers with tech and tradition, with screaming gossip casters and practiced politicians. In the midst of this vibrant metropolis, June Costa creates art that's sure to make her legendary. But her dreams of fame become something more when she meets Enki, the bold new Summer King. The whole city falls in love with him (including June's best friend, Gil). But June sees more to Enki than amber eyes and a lethal samba. She sees a fellow artist.
Together, June and Enki will stage explosive, dramatic projects that Palmares Tres will never forget. They will add fuel to a growing rebellion against the government's strict limits on new tech. And June will fall deeply, unfortunately in love with Enki. Because like all Summer Kings before him, Enki is destined to die.
Pulsing with the beat of futuristic Brazil, burning with the passions of its characters, and overflowing with ideas, this fiery novel will leave you eager for more from Alaya Dawn Johnson.
Well. I don't know what I'm waiting for. I'd better get busy!
What's new with you? Happy reading!
Wow, I haven't heard of any of these books, but they look like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteFormerly Sharkgirl sounds like a really good read. I love the cover. :)
ReplyDeleteKrystianna @ Downright Dystopian
Awesome haul! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteFormerly Sharkgirl sounds pretty good. May have to look into that one.