war and...

The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


When Yoonis becomes the only survivor of a sketchy American Military attack on his Muslim village he is spared by Christopher, one of his attackers. Yoonis becomes Jonas when he is sent to America by a relief organization. Regrettably, changing his name and country doesn’t bring back his family or alter the harrowing events of his past. As the story progresses the reader must piece together what actually occurred and is left wondering who is victim and who is savior. Narrated by Simon Vance who brings the brittle and tremulous text into a heartbreaking, blooming presence. A lean, searing, emblematic war story with tinctures of morality, forgiveness and letting go. Recommended to fans of The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.



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safe summer tween read

Dive In! by Cassie Waters


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


WATERS, Cassie. Pool Girls: Dive In!. 155p. Simon and Schuster Kids. May 2012. ISBN: 978-1-4424-4144-6. $5.99. F.




Gr 5-7


Grace Davis is trying to figure it all out at the end of seventh grade. Her grade school bestie Christina Cooper is hanging out with the cool crowd, and leaving her behind. Her other bestie Mel is going to be gone all summer long. New friend Jaci (and possible bestie?) has invited her to join the Riverside Swim Club (RSC) but her parents are making her earn the $200 membership fee. In the meantime, Grace is faced with cheating, sick dogs and snide comments at school. First in new tween series for girls with two more to come this summer, Dive In! is a story about peer pressure, the need to fit in, learning to stand up for oneself and the desire to be cool. Although the secondary characters are a little flat and sometimes unrealistic, Grace makes true-to life decisions and is a likable main character. Tweens girls will enjoy the setting and the non-preachy morals as well as the ultra cute boys. A great summer reading club book.




-Terry Ann Lawler - Phoenix Public Library, AZ.




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dystopian

Pure by Julianna Baggott


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Baggott, Julianna. Pure. unabridged. 10 CDs. 14 Hours. AudioGo. Feb 2012. ISBN: 978-1-61113-136-9 $84.99. F




Set in a creepy dystopian future, the detonation of nano-technology bombs cause people to be fused to whatever was near them during the explosion, sometimes animals, sometimes things, sometimes other people. Since the detonation, Pures live inside the Dome in isolation and under rigid control. In swirling ash and constant fear, Wretches live outside; eking out meager existences, hiding from the local Militia. Partridge the Pure wants to find his mother, and the truth about his past. Pressia the Wretch wants to find safety and salvation. When they meet, they find something else entirely. Baggott’s imagery is matchless in this freakish and compelling tale of love and revolution. A full cast narration (Khristine Hvam, Joshua Swanson, Kevin T. Ollins and Casey Halloway) transports the listener thoroughly into Baggott’s imaginative and substantial details. A sure hit for fans of Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games and Stephenie Meyers’ The Host.




-Terry Ann Lawler - Phoenix Public Library, AZ.










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