Friends with Boys, by Faith Erin Hicks

Courtesy of Google

I LOVED this book!  I always wished I had a brother or brothers.  J  I do gain one brother when I get married next year – admittedly it’s a little different, since I did not grow up with him. 

This graphic novel is about Maggie, who is about to attend her local high school after having been home-schooled her whole life.  She has three older brothers and has never really socialized with anyone but her family.  At school, she has to navigate a new environment and figure out how to make friends.  Friends with Boys is a great coming-of-age story with compelling characters.  I love the dynamic Maggie has with her family and how she handles high school. 

The art is fantastic! My fiancé read this as a web comic and later bought the trade paperback when it was released to support Ms. Hicks.  I could not put it down – I understand it was agonizing having to wait for each successive page.  ;) I recommend to teenagers and adults.  

All These Things I've Done, by Gabrielle Zevin

What if we lived in a time when caffeine and anything made with caffeine was illegal contraband?  Heaven forbid-I could not live without my tea and chocolate!!!  But this is the setting for our story: a world where the crime lords smuggle caffeinated food items from place to place.  Anya Balanchine is the teenage daughter of the Russian mafia’s now-dead boss, and she is trying to live as normal a life as possible in addition to taking care of her two siblings and passing high school.  But sometimes relatives just don’t leave well enough alone, especially when she is the perceived heir to the Balanchine legacy, and she finds herself entangled in her extended family’s doings.  Throw in the interesting new boy at school whose father happens to be the new assistant District Attorney (and intent on dismantling the big caffeine criminal organizations), and you’ve got yourself a quirky, fun read!  For ages 15 and up.

Scary Godmother: Comic Book Stories, by Jill Thompson

This is a truly delightful collection of stories about Hannah Marie and her friends who live on the Fright Side of her bed.  It’s perfect for boys and girls 10 and up (and their parents and/or older siblings) who enjoy funny, spooky stories that are not too scary.  The artwork is whimsical and amazing to look at; it took me a week to read this book (almost unheard of; I am usually the one who finishes a book in a few days) because I spent a lot of time appreciating the artwork and examining the beautiful detail in all the panels.  People my age and older may be more familiar with Jill Thompson’s contributions to Neil Gaiman’s Sandman universe, so if you have not yet checked out Scary Godmother, I recommend it!  Find it at your local comic book shop!

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly

First of all, I have to say that I really, really hope Jacqueline Kelly writes another book about Calpurnia Tate, because I don’t think her story is yet finished.  It is 1899, and Calpurnia Tate is 11 ¾ and not your typical turn-of-the-century girl.  Calpurnia Tate is spunky and would much rather spend her time outside finding bugs and plants with her grandfather than inside learning how to sew a straight seam, cook, and do other domestic activities.  Give her credit for trying though!  She does at least attempt all of these things, with mixed results (but it makes Mother happy).  It’s a time of scientific progress and around the time that the theory of evolution is just gaining ground, and Calpurnia wants to be a part of that.  Calpurnia also narrates the story and, like Jerusha Abbott in Daddy-Long-Legs, is very witty and has a great sense of humor.  If a book makes me laugh aloud, and this one did, I usually determine it to be a good read.   Calpurnia reminds me of such favorite characters of mine as Amber Brown, Ramona, Clementine, and Scout.  This is an excellent story for ages 10 and up, and parents should enjoy it, too!

Daddy-Long-Legs, by Jean Webster

Daddy-Long-Legs is an epistolary novel (a novel told in letters or diary entries) that takes place in the early part of the 20^th century.  Now Amazon has posted a School Library Journal summary that suggests this book is for 9^th grade and up, but I disagree.  I think a 10- or an 11-year old could read it, and in fact, I have met 10- and 11-year olds that have read it.  Jerusha Abbott has a mysterious benefactor who pays for her college education, on the condition that he remains anonymous and that Jerusha write him once a month to tell him of her progress.  Since Jerusha is quite sure she saw the back of him as he left the orphanage where she grew up, she decides to nickname him Daddy-Long-Legs.  Jerusha is a spunky, intelligent girl who has a sharp sense of humor and displays wisdom beyond her years, and I absolutely loved this book.  It is an especially good read for girls and young women.  It is lighthearted but at the same time thought-provoking.

Bunheads, by Sophie Flack

This was a pretty good read about a young ballerina who wishes to rise in her company.  At the same time, she is starting to question all the time and effort she puts in, and the fact that her life truly is not her own, but given over to the dance.  As such, I have it on good word from a friend of mine who used to be a professional ballerina that this is probably not the best book to give a girl or guy who is actually a ballet dancer, or a former one.  After she looked at it, she determined that it was “too close to the real thing”.  SO, I think it is safe to say that this is a good book for those of us who love and/or would like to learn about the life offstage.  It gave me a very healthy appreciation for what these artists give of themselves in order to perfect their craft and create the magic of such favorites of mine as “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”.  I suggest 15 and up as the best age at which to read this book, since the main character does deal with or encounter certain situations (e.g. eating disorders and sexuality).  

Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best, by Maria Padian

Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best, by Maria Padian, is a feel-good novel about two best friends who are going their separate ways for the summer.  Eva is going to a ballet summer program in New York City, while Henry (short for Henriette) is off to a prestigious tennis camp in Florida.  It’s the first time both girls have been apart for an extended period of time.  While Jersey Tomatoes is a lighter read, it does deal with some serious issues.  Each girl has an overbearing parent who seems to want nothing more than to live through his or her daughter’s talent.  While Eva is passionate about dance and Henry lives tennis, both also feel conflicted and even dislike what they’re doing at times.  They are constantly dealing with issues that are specific to what they do. In the end, the story asks these questions: What are the important things in life?  Who are you as a person?  How are you going to react if put in a given situation?  What is the right decision to make?  All in all, this is a very good read, and a healthy read, for girls 14-15 and up.  I really enjoyed reading it.  There is a lot of tennis lingo, but it does not take away from the story.  I don’t know anything about tennis and very little about ballet and I was able to follow Henry as she plays her game and Eva as she becomes alive on the dance floor.  Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best is also a good one for those who liked reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.

Shadow on the Mountain, by Margi Preus

Shadow on the Mountain, by Margi Preus, is just as good as her first novel, Heart of a Samurai.  The two books are not companions to each other, but they are written in the same style and are both well-research historical fiction novels for the reader 10 years old and up.  Note that Shadow on the Mountain is not to be released until September 2012.  I highly recommend it for those of you who enjoy reading historical fiction and/or read Margi Preus’ first book.  Shadow on the Mountain is about the boy Espen who, at age 14, is running “errands” for the Norwegian Resistance during World War II.  As he grows older and his work for the movement becomes more dangerous, he learns and understands more about how the world he was born into changed so drastically and seemingly overnight.  Through the eyes of various characters in the story, we see how different their motivations are and why they choose to act the way they do.  If anything, Margi Preus shows how history is never black and white, and emphasizes the importance of critical thinking.  

Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus

Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus, is really good! It is based on a true story about Manjiro, a 13-year old boy from a fishing village in Japan who, along with four others, is shipwrecked and eventually picked up by an American whaling ship in 1841. Since this is at a time when Japan was closed to foreigners and did not welcome back Japanese people who strayed too far from Japan’s borders (whether of their own volition or not), Manjiro must make the decision of whether he will try to get home anyway or join the crew. What happens next turns into the adventure of a lifetime. Preus does an excellent job of describing the cultural differences between the East and the West and the conflict that is constantly within Manjiro, even as he takes in the wonder of seeing and experiencing things beyond his wildest dreams! The book has a glossary at the back of technical terms and some Japanese words (which was very helpful), and a bibliography of the author’s resources, for those who, like myself, wish to know more about this period of history and its lasting effects today.

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom, by Susin Nielsen

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom, by Susin Nielsen, is about 12 year old Violet and her anger and sadness about her parents' divorce. Her parents don't quite understand her acting out and Violet gets in trouble a lot. Mixed in with her feelings are her love for her parents (of course); note also that much of her anger is directed toward her father, since he is the one who left. Eventually, the lesson that Violet must inevitably learn is that people are not perfect, and the only thing to be done is to make the best of a sad situation-but not before she makes her own attempts to set things right. This story is a good one to read for anyone, but will also speak in particular to preteen girls whose parents are not together anymore and are having trouble adjusting to the new living environment.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, by Joe Schreiber

Okay, so I was not sure what to expect when I read Joe Schreiber's Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, but I enjoyed reading it all the same. This is a good book for a teenage boy reluctant reader (15 or 16 and up). Perry's family has been hosting a foreign exchange student during his last year of high school, and as a last gesture of kindness before she leaves to go back home, Mom makes Perry take her to the prom. However, Perry soon learns that Gobija is not quite the person she seemed to be.... It's a fast-paced read, with short chapters and lots of action. It is humorous, but it gets intense really fast.

Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage

Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage, is set in a small town in North Carolina, and gives us a brief glimpse into the life of Mo LoBeau, 11 years old and rising 6th grader. Oh, and by the way, it's a murder mystery set in the summertime. I really enjoyed reading it. I especially loved the relationships Mo has with her adoptive family, friends, and neighbours.  Mo is a crackup: she's full of spunk and a tomboy.  For ages 10 (possibly a more emotionally mature 10) to 11 and up.

Habibi, by Craig Thompson

Habibi is EXCELLENT. For those of you already familiar with the graphic novel, I highly recommend this to you. If you are new to the format, this is a heavy read (literally and figuratively-the book clocks in at over 450 pages), but it's a beautifully drawn and written story about a girl surviving on her own somewhere in the Middle East. You will find yourself spending just as much time appreciating the artistry as you will reading the words.

Liberator, by Richard Harland

Liberator qualifies as steam-punk literature. It's pretty good, though I suggest reading Worldshaker first. Richard Harland is an Australian author, so the third installment may be a while in coming.  Worldshaker establishes the characters and the overarching storyline: an alternate history where the major countries of the world have taken over different parts of it.  Large populations of people from England, Russia, Japan, etc., live aboard huge juggernauts that are capable of traveling by land, sea, and air.  Col Porpentine is a member of a high-class family on Worldshaker (that is the name of the British juggernaut, complete with in-residence Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert).  In the first book, he meets a Filthy (one of the lowest social class-the people who keep the juggernaut running far belowdecks), a girl named Riff, who challenges everything Col has been brought up to believe.  What follows is an adventure in which Col must decide where his loyalties lie and consider true nature of the current political and social system in which he has lived his whole life.