Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld

Leviathan

by Scott Westerfeld

Simon Pulse, NY 2009

This Steampunk tale opens at the start of World War II. With the help of only a few trusted advisers and a Cyclop Stormwalker, Alek attempts to evade his parent's assassins.  Meanwhile, Deryn, a young lady disguised as a young man, determined to view the world harnessed to a Huxley (a sort of floating jellyfish) enrolls in the British Air Service. A spectacular accident brings these two opposites together (Alek's a Clanker who believes in the old fashioned competency of steam powered war machines. While Deryn sides with the Darwinists, those quirky scientists who've managed to create fabricated beasts like huge hydrogen breathing air beasts) and thus we have the start of the Leviathan series.

I am a crazed Scott Westerfeld fan. Uglies, Pretties, and Specials? Brilliant, fantastic, and bizarre. So Yesterday? So perfect. And don't even get me started on Peeps. Leviathan did not disappoint, and the illustrations are fantastic.

Bottom Line:

We cannot keep this book (or its sequel, Behemoth) on the FHS Library shelves. The second a student returns it, it is checked back out by another student. And that, my fellow bookworms, is every library book's dream.

What I Saw and How I Lied, by Judy Blundell

What I Saw and How I Lied
by Judy Blundell
Scholastic Press, New York 2008

It’s just a matter of what you're willing to do. (p. 252)

World War II is over, Evie’s stepfather is back home, and her mother is still the prettiest woman in the room. Everything is back to normal. But a family vacation to Palm Beach unearths secrets that force Evie to question the people she’s trusted the most.

War, money, lies, love, hate, heat, growing up, losing faith - Reading this book felt like riding a roller coaster. Tick… tick… tick… to the tippity-top, the anticipation was killing me, and I knew that everything had to come crashing down sometime... and it certainly did.

Botton Line:
First love, first betrayal, set some time aside b/c you won't be able to put this one down.

Bronx Masquerade, by Nikki Grimes

Bronx Masquerade

by Nikki Grimes

Penguin Group, NY 2002

When Mr. Ward asks Wesley “Bad Boy” Boone to share his poem about Langston Hughes with his class he finds that other students are interested in sharing poetry too. What starts out as a few minutes one Friday a month becomes a weekly poetry reading that other students sneak in to hear. Each chapter provides a different student’s point of view, followed by one of their poems. The poems, rather than demonstrating the classmates differences, highlight their similarities, dreams for the future, and desire to fit in with one another. 

The brief one- to three-page chapters followed by each character's poems move the reader quickly through the story while Tyrone’s commentary ties the differing viewpoints together. Each student has their own set of issues and the open mike poetry reading experience gives them the confidence to work through the problems with the help of their classmates.  I was impressed with the way the author was able to craft poetry that reflected each of the teen’s unique situations and personalities while demonstrating their similarities.

Bottom Line:
Fast read, Great poetry; Anyone interested in an open mike in the library?