Witch's Business, by Diana Wynne Jones

I am a great fan of Jones books.  Particularly I think The Dark a Lord of Derkholm and the Year of the Griffin are wonderful books for readers who enjoyed the Harry Potter series.  Jones has a wonderful sense of humor and makes fantasy quite believable.In some ways I prefer her take on schools and the politics surrounding them to that of J.K. Rowling. I also appreciate the way that Jones shows in her book the ways that adolescents can break through boundaries of status and social group to achieve a shared goal.

Jones is a British author and sometimes her language and colloquialisms are a little bit challenging for American readers.  But her understanding of the interests and lives of young adolescents make any struggles worthwhile. This is a reissue of her first novel and is currently out of print, but still available through a variety of online booksellers. This is the second time that I have been able to read a first book from a popular author. (The other was Patricia Briggs.) It's fascinating to see how their craft improves over time.  I would love to be able to use the use in an author study unit with adolescents to show stronger vs. weaker writing. It would take some considerable time which, unfortunately, is not typically available in classrooms due to pressures from standardized tests and district curriculum mandates.

Hangman's Curse, by Frank Peretti

This is a title from the "Christian Fiction" shelf.  It is my first venture into Christian fiction and it gave rise to some concern on my part.  Reviewers give quite positive reviews to the book.  They call Peretti the "Stephen King" of Christian fiction.  I have a less positive review.

I'm very concerned about some of the plot elements in the book.  The "Veritas Project team" a family traveling the country as trouble shooters of "strange mysteries, crimes, and unusual occurrences" do a number of things that fall well outside of scientific safety.  In this book, as they investigate the sighting of ghosts at a school and the resultant serious illnesses of students, there are several instances in which seriously unsafe scientific procedures are followed.  At one point the mother (who has a science lab in the back of the RV the family travels in) takes a suspicious straw back to the family home and actually sniffs it.  This after four students are in the hospital and on the way to death.  I don't think any well informed scientist would keep a lab in the living/travel quarters with their families.  They certainly wouldn't sniff evidence that they thought might contain dangerous pathogens or chemicals. 

I can accept some of the insertions of conservative Evangelical Christian doctrine in the book.  Although the reviewers claim they think the material wasn't intrusive, I did find it a bit "gratuitous."

As a series book I would be willing to recommend this to students whose families prefer that they read Christian fiction.  The story itself is adequately developed and does carry an important message about bullying.  However, in doing so I would also warn them that I have concerns about scientific safety in the plot.  I want students to be aware of just how dangerous/serious some substances can be.  It is not a title I would recommend to general audiences.  The plot and characters were just not compelling enough to make me want to read more.

Gamer Girl, by Mari Mancusi

This 2008 book was recognized by YALSA as a "quick pick for reluctant readers." I expect that this is a good designation. The book is recommended for grades 6-10 although I expect 9 & 10 are a bit of a stretch. The plot is pretty predictable, although I am drawn to the main character. She has more gray areas than you would expect with a predictable, quick read, designed to appeal to gamers, Manga fans, and Goths. I will be recommending it to many 6th-8th graders who are drawn to these topics. It's an easy read, but deals sensitively with a variety of issues that many pre-teens and teens have to face: moving schools, divorce, bullies, cliques, Manga, isolation, and video games.

I also think I will be picking up one of Mancusi's vampire books to see if they are well written and appealing. I've been using my Nook to read new releases an hour a day at Barnes and Noble. I often sit in chairs that face the new YA and SciFi sections. Vampire fiction completely dominates the shelves. Right now I'm reading the new Sookie Stackhouse vampire book (the series upon which True Blood is based). For almost a year now I've been complaining about how much vampire fiction I'm having to read. It looks like I'm going to have to get used to it. Hopefully Mancusi will add an interesting twist--maybe a gamer vampire!

Schooled, by Gordon Korman

I opened this at a particularly good time. My workplace is particularly crazy the last couple of weeks. I needed a reminder that there are multiple perspectives in any situation and that all have value.

This is a funny book, but also has social value for teens. The protagonist, Capricorn (Cap) Anderson, is the last flower child on the last "commune." His grandmother, Rain (Rachel Esther Rosenblatt), has held onto the principles of the commune long after everyone else has left. She and Cap keep the spirit alive and live happily--just the two of them--on the land. When Rain falls out of a tree and breaks her hip Cap becomes involved with the child protective services and public school.

As a complete "flower child," Cap has had no exposure to television, telephones, or even other people. He discovers that he really only knows one person, his grandmother. As a result of Rain's hospitalization Cap enters Claverage middle school. He is totally unprepared for anything in middle school (or actually is the modern world).

Korman's book lets us look at the issues we all deal with on a daily basis with new eyes. The journey with Cap into the 21st century is certainly worth the time. It will help everyone examine their own place in the world and choices made.

Middle school teachers tell me that their students are wild about this book. I give it 4 stars