The Pinhoe Egg, by Dianna Wynne Jones

This is number six in the Chrestomanci Series. I love these books. They are short, more ironic, but less complex Harry Potter-read a-likes. I found Dianna Wynne Jones looking for Potter read a-likes and found her book "The Dark Lord of Derkhelm." In "The Pinhoe Egg" you have two extended families of magicians hiding out right under the "great man Chrestomanci's" rule. The families have placed spies in the Chrestomanci household. Meanwhile the Pinhoe's gammer (female lead) has been befuddle by the Farleigh family gammer and the Pinhoe gaffer has died.

All the adults get so caught up in intriques and revenge that the children are allowed to carry on as they will (for the most part). In her attempts to help Marianne Pinhoe gives Cat Chant a globe from the attic. This begins the entire series of events: the globe hatches a griffin, curses and counter curses plague the towns, and Chrestomanci seems preoccupied.

Of course all works out for the kids. Meanwhile readers will get insights into friendship, trust, faith in others, honest, and feuds. This is a series I would recommend to children grades 4-7 depending upon their reading skills, interests, and interest in fantasy.

A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray

This is a Victorian girl's finishing school story with a supernatural twist. Voya recommends it for 10-12 grade students. I agree with that evaluation. It is a somewhat challenging read, a longish book, and has some mature content although no explicit sex. However, all that being said, this is a book I am going to recommend to lots of students (and perhaps my daughter). It is complex and really delves deeply into the development of friendships between young girls and the temptations that many girls face.

I'm always looking for connections. It appears to be a good portrayal of Victorian girls schools and the era. It also begins in the British governed India. This is a book I listened to on my smart phone. There was a great surprise at the end--the author had a relatively long autobiography of the process she used to write the book including a trip to England for research. This alone is a wonderful addition. Young women reading may be motivated to consider sophisticated research for their writing projects.

The Cabinent of Curiosities, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

This is 0ne of a series of books featuring "Special Agent Pendergast"of the FBI. As a popular fiction "crossover" (adult/young adult) book it is a good read. I am always looking for interdisciplinary connections. In this book I find connections to the study of historical New York City, biochemistry, genetics, and antiques. It is a book that would appeal to many high school students and some junior high. If you have students who are fans of the suspense or horror genre this is a book that is better written than many, could be "taught" in a classroom (it doesn't have too much sex or violence), and has some opportunities to engage students in additional reading and study.

I was in NYC this fall and have read many books set in New York including almost all of Edith Wharton. I enjoyed this--it takes me closer to Central Park and spans both contemporary and historical events. There is also some brief exploration of immigration and sweatshops. It is a minor component of the book, but is treated in enough detail to be helpful in a history class. (At least the beginning of the book which could then be offered as an out of class reading for those interested in finishing it.)

Avalon High, Meg Cabot (2006)

Cabot is the popular author of several series of books for female adolescents including the somewhat famous Princess Diaries series. This book, perhaps the first in a new series, takes the Arthurian legend to modern high school. It's actually a pretty good read and would make a great companion book to other Arthurian books. The main character mirrors Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott. In our area many students read The Green Knight as a required reading. I am personally a greater fan of Nancy Springer's series that looks at the main characters in the Arthurian group from fresh perspectives. These including I am Morgan le Fay: A Tale from Camelot and I am Mordred: A Tale from Calemot. Both a great books to help students explore voice and point of view. Avalon High would make another nice companion to this set of books but would contribute more to explorations of setting and mood although voice and point of view certainly could be included. FYI--Springer is also taking this series to "manga" (a cartoon style).

Young Zorro: The Iron Brand, by Jan Adkins

I loved Isabelle Allende's version of Zorro so as soon as I saw this title I picked it up. It began a little slowly--but soon I fell into the plot and setting. Set in the Pueblo de los Angeles in the 1700's this would be a great novel for Hispanic kids with an interest in the history of California or Hispanics in the USA. I think teens will enjoy the plot line and character development while at the same time learn a lot about the history of California and the relationships between Native peoples, the Roman Catholic church, and Spanish explorers.

No historian, I can only hope that the details of this book are accurate. (That might be a good task for my next historical reading project!)

One interesting link to a more advanced read would be the plot device--a modern descendant of the de la Vega family is called in when a secret room full of artifacts is discovered after an earthquake. This is reminiscent of Laurie R. King's device of the artifacts her narrator is sent that initiates the Mary Russell series. When teaching kids how to write fiction this is a great place to begin. How can an object be the initiating event for a story? In King's books the artifact does indeed serve as the initiation of the tale. In this book it is just the chest with ancient papers telling the stories that begins the tale.

I certain hope for more books in this series. We need lots of readings for Hispanics students and a better historical view of the development of American cultures in the western states.

The School Library Journal's reviewer wasn't quite as enthusiastic about the book as I. He called it a "Hardy Boys" knock-off. Having worked with striving readers most of my life, sometimes this sort of formula provides the predictable structure that allows them to move through enough print to become proficient. I'll be eager to find out the responses of actual kids. I think I'll give it to one this afternoon. I'll update when I get a response.

The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross

Rich suburban housewife, local lieutenant policeman who has a tragic past, a husband killed in a terrorist act--or is he? Sounds like love to me.

One of the things I do is read reviews on one of the big commercial book seller's sites. This got excellent reviews. I don't think I am going to be in agreement with them this time. Maybe because I was listening to an audio-version of the book. I just didn't find it all that engaging. It got to be a bit too much fantasy--rich folks, fancy boats, Caribbean. All just a little too James Bondian for me.

Cesar's Way : The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems

One of the few tv shows I make a point of viewing is "The Dog Whisperer" (Fridays on National Geographic Channel). We've been dog folks for quite a while. I really appreciate his outlook on working with dogs (that means I agree). Barnes & Noble is running a book discussion group about the book after this in October. So--I'm sort of lurking in the discussion and reading the first book.

We have miniature Australian Shepherds at home. I've been using some of Cesar's techniques to get them to stop harrassing the mail carrier.

On a side light. My children are making me watch the South Park episode in which Cesar comes to help a single mom learn to discipline her child. Very funny--but sad at the end.