Wonderstruck

Middle School Fiction

VG/A Selznick, Brian. Wonder Struck. Scholastic Press, 2011. 640p. 978-0-545-02789-2. 29.99.

Selznick’s latest novel intertwines two stories through illustrations and words. The first story is of Ben in Minnesota in 1977. He is hearing impaired and searching for clues about his father. His journey leads him to New York City and the Museum of Natural History. The illustrated story is about Rose in 1927. She too is hearing impaired and runs away to New York City to see her actress mother and stay with her older brother. Although beginning 50 years apart, the stories come together in an unexpected twist. Not only are the illustrations beautiful, but the story is touching and heartfelt too. Readers of all ages will have a hard time putting this one down and will undoubtedly read it in one sitting. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve

WHAT THE GREAT ATE

Adult Nonfiction

NR Jacob, Matthew. What the Great Ate. Three Rivers Press, 2010. 310p. 978-0-307-46195-7. 14.00. Did you know that Sacagawea ate marrow from a killed elk's shank bones or that fried chicken and Pepsi Cola were among Hugh Hefner's favorite foods in the 50s? Interesting food trivia is affiliated with other known persons such as Mother Teresa, David Beckham, Matthew Henson, etc. (Some names, however, are not as well known.) And some unusual foods for thought--and tasting? are raw dog, beer soup, Koumiss-fermented mare's milk and hashish fudge.

Since the format is not very attractive, teens are less likely to give this more than a passing glance.

E.M. Roublow, LAPL, San Pedro Branch

STAN LEE'S HOW TO DRAW COMICS

Adult/YA Nonfiction

VG/A Stan Lee's How To Draw Comics. Watson-Guptill, 2010. 978-0-8230-0083-8. 24.99.

Lee adddresses contributions of all associated with the creation of graphics: background writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer, etc. Samples of various artists' work are accompanied by Lee's commentary and recommendations. Examples of/and tips on techniques will best benefit artists who wish to improve their skills--not beginners.

And for those who simply appreciate graphic art, this title is great for browsing.

E.M. Roublow, LAPL, San Pedro Branch.

Populazzi

High School Fiction

VG/A Allen, Elise. Populazzi. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. 400 p. 9780547481531 $16.99

Cara is starting a new high school for her junior year and her best friend Claudia is convinced that this is the perfect opportunity for her to reinvent herself. Claudia has the whole social hierarchy mapped out and a plan for Cara to climb her way to the top and dethrone the Supreme Populazzi, Trista, or at least be her best friend. There is a slight detour when Cara falls for her drama geek friend Archer but when he rejects her, it is full steam ahead. With drug use, underage drinking and sex talk, this title is for older teens.

A well written and funny look at high school social climbing.


Sarah Mae Harper, CoLAPL- AC Bilbrew Library

The Dark City

General YA Fiction

G/A Fisher, Catherine. The Dark City (Relic Master #1). Dial, 2011. 384p. 0803736738. 16.99.

Galen and Raffi are relic masters of the Order. There are very few of their kind left. They have magical powers and are the keepers of magical relics left over from the extinct Makers. In this first of a 4-part series, Galen and Raffi travel to the old city of Tasceron to find the Crow so that Galen can gain his powers back. But they are being followed by the Watch, a group of enforcers that do not belive in the magic of relic masters. This book was better than expected, but committing to reading a 4-part series is difficult unless the book is amazing. There was a lot of adventure and action, but the ending was not satisfying. This series will still appeal to teens who enjoy fantasy/adventure novels. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve

Level Up

High School Graphic Novel

G/A Yang, Gene Luen. Level Up. First Second, 2011. 160p. 978-1-59643-714-2. 19.99.

Luen’s latest graphic novel is a coming-of-age story of an Asian American boy. Dennis Ouyang was never allowed to play video games as a child. His dad made him study all the time so that he could go to medical school and become a gastroenterologist. When Dennis’ dad dies, the first thing Dennis does is buy a video game console. It turns out that he is an amazing video game player. As he gets older though he follows his father’s wishes (along with the help of 4 angels) and attends medical school. Whether or not he remains a med student is the question. The artwork (by newcomer Thien Pham) is great and the story is an accurate portrayal of growing up in an Asian American family. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous

General YA Non-Fiction

VG/A Bragg, Georgia. How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. Walker & Co., 2011. 184p. 978-0-8027-9817-6. 17.99.

This fun book provides five-minute history lessons of famous people throughout history, including Cleopatra, Marie Curie, Beethoven, Einstein and Gallileo. It gives a brief description of the person’s life and what they are famous for and then explains how they died (which was often gruesome or strange). After each short chapter there are two pages of additional information, such as timelines, definitions of terms mentioned and modern cures. The book also includes an index and a great bibliography and additional reading list. Although it might not be the greatest book for a research project, it is definitely a good read and may inspire readers to learn more about the famous peoples lives it explores. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve