Shooting Kabul, by N.H. Senzai

Published May 1, 2013 by Dagmar

Middle schoolers barely remember a time when the United States didn’t have troops in Afghanistan. Shooting Kabul takes place in Kabul and in Fremont, CA. The book starts as 12 year old Fadi and his family, afraid of the way Kabul has changed under the rule of the Taliban, make a dangerous nighttime escape from Afghanistan. Fadi loses hold of his six year old sister’s hand in the escape. Broken-hearted, the family is forced to save themselves and leave little Mariam behind in Afghanistan.

Shooting Kabul is the incredible story of an immigrant family adjusting to life in Fremont in a large Afghani community. The family moves in with relatives and has to live in cramped quarters and the hospitality of their relatives until Fadi’s father can find work. Fadi has to transition to an American middle school and his father finds work as a taxi driver. It is difficult to support the family as a taxi driver and particularly difficult, because his father was a university professor in Kabul. Fadi cannot forget his little sister, alone in Afghanistan, or maybe even Pakistan. He is determined to find her and bring her to America. He enters a photo competition with his new friend, a girl named Anh. First prize is a photographic journey to anywhere in the world. Fadi thinks this is his way to get back to Pakistan, where he thinks his sister might be.

Then, 9/11 happens, and it’s hard being at school where kids only see you as Afghani and someone who might be responsible for the attacks. Fadi concentrates harder on winning the photo competition and finding Mariam.

This book kept me and my students in suspense. I had to keep turning the pages to see if Fadi could find his little sister. A great read.

Mike Lupica’s Sports books

Published April 27, 2013 by Dagmar

My male students who are into sports are very particular about their sports, it’s either football, basketball or baseball. It is not a blend. So, what do I give students who want to read nothing but sports books and Sports Illustrated? I had a suspicion that I could pull them in with Mike Lupica’s books, and am happy to tell you that I have kids, many of them reluctant readers, grabbing his books off the shelves.

Mike Lupica is a syndicated sports writer for the New York Daily News. Most importantly, he writes realistic fiction about football, basketball and baseball. This is realistic fiction that has my tween and middle school boys excited about reading. I think these books could easily reach high school age students too.

Here’s a link to his web-site: http://www.mikelupicabooks.com/

Take a look. You can also check out my review of Heat, Mike Lupica’s book about a 12 year old boy trying to get to the Little League world series.

Malice, by Christopher Wooding

Published April 27, 2013 by Dagmar

Is your tween or middle schooler looking for an edgy, sinister book? I’m asked every day for “scary” books and usually lead my students to my ghost story collections. But, for those kids who don’t mind dark books, read A Series of Unfortunate Events, tore through the Cirque du Freak series and are looking for more, Malice could be the answer. It is sinister, so I’d suggest middle school for this book.

I read Malice in one sitting. It was that good. This smart, but scary book is part novel, part graphic novel, part fantasy. Malice is about high school kids caught up in the mystique surrounding a comic book called Malice. It is said that kids who perform a ritual to call the main character, “Tall Jake” disappear, sometimes for months and sometimes forever. The pages of Malice, if you can get your hands on a copy, show the kids who have disappeared fighting for their lives in a strange fantasy world. Little do the kids who do the ritual know that Tall Jake is real, the world of Malice is real and as terrifying and deadly as the comic book makes out. Those that come back from having disappeared don’t remember a thing about the time they were away. Because no one remembers Malice after they return, no one can warn the other kids about Malice and the dangers of calling Tall Jake. Seth and his friends, once in Malice, fight for their lives and swear that they will find a way to stop Tall Jake.

This book has a sequel called Havoc which continues the story of Seth’s fight against Tall Jake.

Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli

Published April 26, 2013 by Dagmar

Stargirl is magical, just like Stargirl herself. What happens when you meet someone completely different — someone who does things that no one would ever do, things that draw a lot of attention. What if that someone doesn’t even care that they’re different? Would you have the courage to be that person’s friend? I loved this book and so did my students.

Leo Burlock is in high school. He’s just like any other kid. He’s kind of popular, a nice guy. But, when a new girl, Stargirl, arrives at school, she changes things for him and for everyone. She brings her ukelele to the cafeteria and serenades people on their birthdays. She sits down in class and puts a curtain and a vase of flowers on her desk. She joins the cheerleading squad and cheers for both teams. Stargirl’s complete innocence catches him by surprise and makes him fall in love with her. For a time, the entire student body falls in love with her too. But, then, Stargirl makes a big mistake, and the penalty is huge. She is shunned by the entire school, and Leo, as her boyfriend, is shunned too. “And the shunning — it was clear now — had come to me. It was less absolute for me than for her, but it was there. I saw it in the eyes that shifted away from mine, the shoulders that turned, the chatter that seemed less loud around me now than before. I fought it. I tested its limits. In the courtyard, between classes, in the lunchroom, I called out to others just to see if they would respond. When someone turned and nodded, I felt grateful.” In desperation, Leo asks Stargirl to change, to be normal. “She constantly quizzed me about what other kids would do, would buy, would think.” Stargirl does her best to change for Leo. “In our minds we tried to pin her to a corkboard like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through and away she flew.”

Olympians, by George O’Connor

Published March 12, 2013 by Dagmar

Another great graphic novel series. This series focuses on the greek gods. The pages are full cover and the author, George O’Connor pulls from historical texts as he retells the myths of each of the gods he writes about. The illustrations are full-color and dramatic and are a real draw for students. The series includes books on Zeus, Athena, Hades, Hera and Poseiden to be published this month. Highly recommended for tweens and middle school readers.

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, by Nathan Hale

Published March 12, 2013 by Dagmar

I’m so happy to see that graphic novels are expanding to include history, mythology, and adaptations of classics. I have a few readers who will not read anything unless it’s in graphic novel format. They’re big readers and are in the library always looking for new books. They are really excited about this series. I’m excited, because they’re reading American History!

This new series, Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales is a funny recounting of the story of Nathan Hale, the Revolutionary War spy who famously said, “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” In this version, Nathan Hale and the hangman are discussing “last words” and the fact that Nathan Hale should say something memorable before he is hanged. Nathan Hale not only thinks of his last words, but then delays his hanging by recounting the story of the seige of Boston, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and General Howe’s invasion of New York.

This is real American history but presented in a funny and engaging way. I laughed out loud several times at the cleverness of the book. There are two books in the series so far, One Dead Spy and Big Bad Ironclad and more to come. (Thank goodness!) My only regret… is that the pages are not full-color. I think it would add a lot to the book if the illustrations were more attractive. That said, it’s a great series and kids love it.

Heat, by Mike Lupica

Published January 28, 2013 by Dagmar

I have been looking for sports books for my avid sports fans and was so happy to find Mike Lupica’s book, Heat. If you’re a sports fan, particularly a baseball fan, this book may be for you. This book is about a 12 year old boy, Michael, who is a Cuban refugee. He, his brother and his father came over on a boat to Florida and are now living in the Bronx. Michael’s father was a baseball player in Cuba and dreams that Michael’s gift as a pitcher will lead him to play in the Little League World Series. But, all is not right in Michael’s world. His father has passed away, and his brother Carlos, 17, is afraid that the boys will be separated if they enter foster care. So, they hide their secret with the help of their elderly neighbor and Michael’s best friend, Manny. This book is full of great characters. Carlos, who is working two jobs to try to pay the rent and bills is the older brother trying to do the right thing and protect his little brother. Manny, Michael’s best friend is funny and loyal. Ellie, the very pretty girl who is also a big baseball fan is a mysterious character. Their neighbor, Mrs. Cora, is very warm and comforting. I found the writing believable and felt that my middle school son would be able to relate to the characters. Although this isn’t typically a genre I’d read, I couldn’t put it down.

Suddenly Supernatural: School Spirit, by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Published January 23, 2013 by Dagmar

Here’s a cute series for your tween/middle school girls who love a mystery and some supernatural powers thrown in. This series has been flying off the shelves since I brought it into the library a few months ago. I just had to read it to see what the fuss was about.

At first I found the “mean girls in middle school” a little boring, but I liked the main character, Kat, and her new best friend, Jac, a gifted cellist. Kat finds out that she is able to see spirits like her mother, who is a medium. Although she is reluctant about her new gift, she and Jac end up solving a mystery. This book is fast-paced and fun. I liked the mystery and didn’t mind the “not subtle” hint that there is a sequel on its way. Lucky for my students that there are actually four books in the series – all on my shelves. My only worry with this series is that it will date itself with its references to modern music.

Ranger’s Apprentice, by John Flanagan

Published January 15, 2013 by Dagmar

The Ruins of Gorlan is the first book in a terrific series for late elementary and middle graders called Ranger’s Apprentice. Will is left in a basket at Castle Redmond as a baby with only a note that says that his mother died and his father died a hero. Will grows up as a ward of the Castle Arald. The wards of the castle are assigned apprenticeships when they become teenagers. Will hopes to become a warrior just as he imagines his father was. To be a warrior, he must train at Battle School. However, when the Choosing Day arrives, Will is apprenticed to a Ranger. As Will learns his new trade, he also learns to appreciate the important role the Rangers hold in defending the kingdom.

Ranger’s Apprentice is an intelligent series, drawing readers in and keeping them engaged. There are 10 books in the series and a book of Lost Stories. Highly recommended for fourth grade through middle school.

Bomb! The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon

Published December 28, 2012 by Dagmar

Moving from the recruitment of Robert Oppenheimer to the building of Los Alamos to the testing of the bombs and Hiroshima and the eventual arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, this excellent non-fiction book cleverly interweaves three story lines. The first is the Americans’ attempt to build the atomic bomb. The second is the Soviets’ attempt to steal the plans for the bomb. The third is an attack on Germany’s heavy water plants in an attempt to prevent Hitler from building an atomic bomb. Full of material that illuminates a period of history few middle school and high school students may be familiar with, this engaging read will keep them interested. I’ve also recommended it to adults, because it provides real insight into the scientists that built the bomb, their motivations for building it and the motivations of some scientists to ensure that the United States wasn’t the only country in the world with this most powerful weapon. Photographs are included.

Winner of YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-fiction for Young Adults, the Silbert Medal, a Newbery honor and a National Book Award finalist.

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