The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B

General Young Adult Fiction

G/A  Toten, Teresa.  The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B.  Delacorte Press, 2015.  304p.  978-0553507867.  17.99

From the moment Robyn Plummer walked into his teen OCD support group, Adam was in love. So much so, that he decides to start participating more and help both her and him get better. As Robyn’s health improves, Adam deteriorates, in part because his mother’s own mental illness worsens. While the book deals well with the issue of OCD and the fact that people are not always what they seem, the plot is lacking. It’s still a good read for teens that like realistic fiction or for teens potentially dealing with family or friends that suffer from OCD. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial

The Ghosts of Heaven

Young Adult Fiction

G/A  Sedgwick, Marcus.  The Ghosts of Heaven.  Roaring Brook, 2015.  368p.  978-1-6268-2125-8.  17.99

This novel consists of four semi-interconnected short stories (that the author states can be read in any order). Each “quarter” takes place in a different time and place, but they all have one thing in common, a fear or obsession with spirals. From cave drawings to spinning tops to spiral staircases and spiraling through space, all the characters of the four stories are focused on the meaning of spirals and surviving their circumstances (although not all do). Each individual story is compelling, but it may all be a little too mysterious and philosophical for most teens. It may be better suited and appeal to adult readers more. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch Library

FOR SOCCER-CRAZY GIRLS ONLY

G/A  Downing, Erin.  For Soccer-Crazy Girls Only.  Feiwel, 2014.  145p.  978-1-250-04709-0.  15.99.  With much gung ho and rah-rah, there's information here that will genuinely appeal to female athletes dedicated to the game of soccer.  Enthusiasm and hard work are key elements for those who are already engaged in the sport.  There are adaptations of the game for those who are disabled and there's even a league -- in the U.S. -- for players who are homeless.  Beside advice on diet, exercise and strategies, there are mini-biographies on noted professional players (including a few men).  And there are brief histories and statistics related to the Olympics and World Cups.  Most of the tricolor pages (black, green, white) are illustrated with drawings and pictures.  Such a reasonable price makes this a worthwhile purchase for library collections in communities where soccer is popular.  As there is ample space provided for note taking, the title can also be given as a personal gift.  
E.M. Roublow (ret.)  

Try This! 50 Fun Experiments for the Mad Scientist in You

YA Non-Fiction/General YA G/A Young, Karen Romano. Try This! 50 Fun Experiments for the Mad Scientist in You. National Geographic, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4263-17118, 160 p.; $16.99 Readers will find 50 fun and easy science experiments inside this colorful large size book. The experiments are listed by categories and they are easy and straight forward. This book will be good for supplementary reading or to be used as part of a STEAM (STEM) program. The fun categories include: Plants, Bugs and Microbes, People and other animals, Water, Reactions, Weird Physics, and Machines. Each experiment identifies the concepts of the science, how long it will take to do the experiment, and what is need for the exercise. With step by step instruction, it is easy to follow and complete the experiment. Also, author indicates what is expected from each experiment and their outcomes so that teachers or instructors will know ahead of time.

Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler's Army

Young Adult/Adult Non-Fiction

G/A  Rauch, Georg.  Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler’s Army. FSG, 2015. 352p. 978-0-3743-0142-2.  17.99.

Georg Rauch was 19 in 1943 when he was drafted into the German Army. Even though his mother was anti-Hitler (and actively hiding Jews in the family attic) and the government knew he was a ¼ quarter Jewish, he had no choice but to join. Good with electronics, he was assigned to be on a communications squad on the Russian front. After 9 months on the front in Russia and Romania, Georg was captured. He spent the next almost year of his life, moving between POW camps and hospitals, before finally making his way back to Vienna. His memoir gives harrowing detail of all the suffering he went through and includes letters that he wrote to his family from Russia during the war. It provides an interesting and little known perspective from a German soldier not invested in the war, but forced to participate and the horrors of the battle in Russia. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch

Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America

Middle Grade Non-Fiction

G/A  Bartoletti, Susan Campbell.  Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America.  Houghton Mifflin, 2015.  240p.  978-0-544-31367-5. 17.99

There is not a lot of information about Mary Mellon available. We know she was Irish, worked as a cook and was a healthy carrier of the typhoid virus. After unknowingly infecting over 20 people with typhoid, Mary was nicknamed Typhoid Mary by the medical community. Bartoletti has pieced together Mary’s story, including her strong spirit and her confinement on North Brother Island. She also brings to light the fact that there were actually many healthy carriers of typhoid and none of them were treated as harshly as Mary was. The facts raise questions about differences in gender discrimination and civil rights. Book includes archival photographs, a timeline, notes and index. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch Library

Vanishing Girls

High School Fiction

VG/A  Oliver, Lauren.  Vanishing Girls. Harper Collins, 2015.  368p.  978-0-06222-410-1.  18.99.

Sisters Dara and Nick are no longer on speaking terms. After a terrible accident left popular Dara scarred and more responsible Nick feeling guilty, the sisters won’t even be in the same room at the same time. As Nick tries to make amends with her sister and come out of her shell at her new job at the amusement park, Dara goes missing. Now Nick is determined to find her and thinks her disappearance is related to another local missing girl. But not everything is as it seems and the plot twist at the end will surprise you. Teens (and adults) will devour this book. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch