Codes for Reviews

First Initial (Overall Rating):
E = Exceptional
VG = Very Good
G = Good
F = Fair
NR = Not Recommended

Second Initital (Reading Level):
A = Average Reading Level
E = Easy
M = Mature

“The views expressed are of individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views of their respective institutions.”

For more information about YAR, please email Dora Ho at dorah2005@gmail.com


Monday, April 26, 2010

City Boy by Jan Micahel

G/A Michael, Jan. City Boy. Clarion Books, 2009. $16.00 188p.

Sam used to have his own bed, computer and a nice place to live in the city. Now he has to move in with his aunt in the village after the death of both his parents. Set in modern day Africa, Sam lost all his possession except two books and a pair of shoes that his mom brought for him at this last birthday. He has to adjust to village life with no electricity and sleep on the floor and share everything with his cousins. A great coming of age story on how a city boy learns to embrace family, friendship and hard life. Dora Ho, LAPL - Young Adult Librarian

43 Old Cemetery Road by Kate Klise

VG/MS Klise, Kate. Dying to Meet You. Harcourt. 2009. $15.00 147p. Series: 43 Old Cemetery Road.

Ignatius B. Grumply is a famous children author. However, he has not published for at least 20 years. Now he has a case of writer’s block and he is broke. He needs a quiet place to write his new book. After his agent rented him the house at 43 Old Cemetery Road, he realized that this is more than an empty house. A boy and a ghost actually live there as well. As part of the contract of the rent, he is the caregiver of the boy. The ghost is 92 years old Olive Spence who tried so hard to get her book published but unfortunately was reject by every publisher. She bounces to haunt this house, her house, until she published her book. Amazing things happened to Mr. Grumply and Ms. Spence; they developed a wonderful relationship and collaborate on their book. The book is written in letter format with each character communicate with each others using letters. Perfect for reluctant readers. Dora Ho, LAPL - Young Adult Librarian.


VG/MS Klise, Kate. Over My Dead Body. Harcourt, 2009. $15.00 116p. Series: 43 Old Cemetery Road.

Ignatius B. Grumply, Ms. Olive Spence, and Seymour Hope are now living together at 43 Old Cemetery Road. However, their once happy life was interrupted by, Dick Tater, the head of the International Movement for the Safety and Protection of Our Kids and Youth (IMSPOOKY). Tater commits Grumply to an insane asylum and sends Seymour to an orphanage because Tater does not believe in ghost. The same humorous and witty letter exchanges accentuate the entire incident and finally Grumply and Olive Spence officially adopt Seymour. Dora Ho, LAPL - Young Adult Librarian

Sistrsic92 (Meg) by Cheryl Dellasega

VG/M Dellasega, Cheryl. Sistrsic92 (Meg) with illustrations by Tyler Beauford. BLOGGRLS Series. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2009. $16.99. 226p.

Meg (Eggy) has a T2P2 (The Totally Perfect Person) for a sister. The whole world revolves around her sister and all Meg has is two “sort of” friends who communicate with her via her blog. They share all their emotions and stories including the illness of Cara, Meg’s sister. Through the understanding of Cara’s illness, bulimia, Meg also discovered another serious scar that Cara bears; Cara was date raped by her boyfriend. Meg tries to help her sister to cop with bulimia, restore Cara's self esteem and to patch up their relationship as sisters and family again. The book is written in blog. There is a glossary in the front of the book for the readers. For those who enjoy reading blogs as well as relationship between sisters, this is a great novel. The illustrations by Tyler Beauford enhance the story greatly.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Far from Gringo Land

High School Fiction

G/A Myers, Edward. Far from Gringo Land. Clarion, 2009. 208 p.

Rick is spending the summer before his senior year of high school in Mexico but he is not on vacation. He is helping a Mexican family build an addition onto their house. In exchange, he gets to practice his Spanish and live as a member of the family. As the work begins, Rick realizes that he is not prepared for the hard work or the hard life that the Romeros deal with every day. Complicating matters is a pretty, rich, American girl that Rick has fallen for.

Sarah Mae Harper, CoLAPL, AC Bilbrew Library

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

I am an Emotional Creature

Fiction

VG/M Ensler, Eve. I am an Emotional Creature : The Secret Life of Girls Around the World. Villard, 2010. 148 p. 9781400061044. 20.00.

Author of The Vagina Monologues, Ensler has crafted a new collection of fictional monologues inspired by young girls from around the world, including the United States, France, Egypt, Israel, Iran, and China. These powerful narratives cover a wide range of social issues from peer pressure, eating disorders, dating, abusive relationships to sex slavery. Told through a mixture of poetry, proses, questions and answers, and are interspersed with interesting factoids. This is an important work recommended for any Young Adult collection. Camille K. Campos, LAPL, Cahuenga Branch

Crazy Beautiful

High School Fiction

G/A Baratz-Logsted, Lauren. Crazy Beautiful. Houghton, 2009 191 p. 9780547223070. 16.00.

Lucius is a troublemaker. His latest escapade has left him severely injured, with hooks as replacements for hands, and has earned him a reputation as being crazy. On the outside Aurora appears perfect, but is still grieving for the mother she has just lost to cancer. Although, they exist on opposite sides of high school’s popularity spectrum, they can’t keep from falling in love with each other at first sight. Meant to be a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Camille K. Campos, LAPL, Cahuenga Branch