Beyond Bullets : A Photo Journal of Afghanistan by Rafal Gerszak with Dawn Hunter

Many could not understand why Rafal Gerszak would actually want to volunteer to tag along with the American military in war-torn Afghanistan, let alone insist on returning to the country to live among its citizens, unprotected by any official organization. But, the author's photographs display pretty clearly the connections that kept (and continue to keep) bringing his mind and heart back to the Afghan people.

The first part of this photo-journal offer an inside look at the life of an American soldier in Afghanistan, with notes from the author and his comrades about life on the front lines, as well as the downtime filled with laughter, frivolity, and -- always -- fear. The second half of the book represents the time that the author spent living in Afghanistan as a civilian, showing both the side of war and destruction, as well as the beauty of the land, the culture, and the people of the country.

This cross-section of war and hope in an almost completely devastated country is a heartbreak and an inspiration, and is certainly recommended to all readers.
Reviewed by kate the librarian.

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

I don't typically used this blog to mention books that are part of a series (unless it's the first book), but this sequel to the cult favorite, Unwind, is certainly worthy of that mention, especially since there are five years between the two publications.

UnWholly picks up right where Unwind left off, with Connor running the AWOL Graveyard, where Risa is serving as the primary medic. Lev is under house arrest, allowed out only under the supervision of his brother Marcus or Pastor Dan. Readers also become acquainted with Starkey, as stork with a major chip on his shoulder who is brought to the Graveyard, and with Cam, the culmination of parts pieced together from a total 99 unwinds.

A network of twists, turns, and uncovered mysteries are revealed in this bridge from the original Unwind to the forthcoming and much anticipated Book Three, UnSold, due out in October 2013. In the meantime, take a peak at Lev's untold story, UnStrung, available digitally. Buy it for Kindle, Nook, and Apple.

Bad Island by Doug TenNapel

The absolute last thing that Reese wants to do is go on this family boating trip that his father is super enthusiastic about. Reese insists that he's responsible enough to stay home alone, and his father insists that this is a FAMILY activity.

So, they embark on the boat trip only to be shipwrecked on an abandoned island. When creepy things start to happen, Reese, his parents, and his little sister must figure out where they are and how to survive long enough in order to get back home. In a Lost-esque atmosphere, there is certainly a lot to learn about the island itself, as well as it's dangerous creatures who seem to be out to get them. But Reese and his family figure out a way to defeat the bad that seems to be part of the island's very groundwork?

Recommended to middle grade boys, with maybe a few exceptions

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow

Karl Stern is a skinny kid who gets bullied by his high school classmates more than he would like, but he's always been able to hide in the background of life for most part. He's living in Berlin during the reign of Hitler and the Nazis, but having been raised in a family of no practicing religion, he certainly does not consider himself a Jew. And his fair looks do not broadcast his ethnicity either, something that separates him from his younger sister and her dark features.

But it doesn't take long for the fact that he is a Jew to get him expelled from public school, beaten, and even left for homeless. For a while he still has his boxing as a refuge, but even that gets taken from him eventually. Along with his parents and his sister, he must figure out how to survive even when it becomes harder and harder to believe that the injustice against Jews won't last forever . . ..

Recommended to mature middle grade and high school readers. Here is portrayed a unique perspective of Nazi-era history. The Berlin Boxing Club was named the 2012 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Teen Readers and was placed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Sharks and Boys by Kristen Tracy

Enid THINKS she has problems. Her parents are in counseling because her father is a cheater, and Enid is having a lot of trouble forgiving him his indiscretions. She and her brother don't have nearly the kind of close connection as the others in their Twin Study Group. And her handsome, smart, and funny boyfriend wants a "break" from her. She feels like her world is spinning out of control and she's trying desperately to reel it back in to a place of calm and comfort.

But when she follows her brother, her boyfriend, and their friends to another state to spy on a party to find out if her boyfriend is cheating on her, she finds anything but calm. She finds herself on a sinking boat as a stowaway in the middle of a storm . . . in the middle of the ocean.This story is full of turmoil, and the group of friends must figure out a way to survive. They won't all be able to make it. And for those of them who do make it to the next day, what comes next?

Recommended to all middle grade and high school ages, though the fluffy title and cover might not prepare readers for the worst.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak

This short novel for tweens is based on a true historical occurrence: during World War II, a bear joined the ranks of the Polish Army. 

One day, soldiers of the Polish 22nd Transport Artillery Supply Company, Peter, Stanislav, Pavel, Janusz, and Lolek, were sent to transport a truckload of equipment, and on the way the boys decided to take a break from the heat of the truck to sit outside in the shade and share a snack. It was during this break that they saw a young Iranian boy holding a blanket, and wrapped inside was a tiny bear cub. They paid the young boy with food in exchange for the bear, and from that moment on vowed to care for and raise the bear - named Voytek - as their comrade and their mascot. With some convincing, Voytek was even officially named a Private in the Polish Army.

This is the story of Peter, Voytek, and their friends during their years in service against the Nazis during World War II. It's a fascinating and almost unbelievable story that is told in an approachable way for all young middle grade readers to enjoy.

Wojtek with artillery ammo – sign painted on 22nd Artillery Supply Company vehicles. (image from Wikipedia)

For more information, start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojtek_%28soldier_bear%29

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones

Blink got his name because he blinks uncontrollably. He's on the run from a weak mother and a stepfather who is too strong for his own good. Over the past six months of living on the streets, he thinks he's gotten pretty good at finding clothes and food, but one day that gets him into trouble.

Caution named herself. Caution: Contents May Be Hot. Cation: Poison. She's running away from a tragedy for which she just can't forgive herself. She thinks she deserves nothing and has gotten mixed up with a dangerous drug dealer, hoping that he will be her salvation -- her death.

Blink and Caution cross paths before she steals his money, but they never notices each other before meeting at the train station, headed for Kingston. This meeting propels them on a journey that neither could have even invented from their dreams, and ultimately leads to precious forgiveness and friendship. Hopefully they can survive long enough to enjoy the life they never imagined.

This is some seriously good teen noir crime suspense. Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Saint Iggy by K. L. Going

Iggy has it pretty rough, but as far as he’s concerned, life isn’t always that bad. Sometimes Mom goes away to visit people, but she almost always comes back home. Dad’s asleep most of the time, and Iggy knows to lay low when his deal Freddie comes around; Freddie isn’t such a nice guy. School can be a pain, but that’s just because they don’t understand Iggy. Even when they set up a hearing to decide on Iggy’s expulsion from high school, maybe there is a way that Iggy can prove them all wrong? He’s got one friend, the mostly cool Mo, who might be able to help him out.

But Mo has problems of his own, and when he gets himself into some financial trouble with the most intimidating drug dealer Iggy knows, Mo comes up with some big ideas for a plan that will make everything all better. Iggy’s struggle to become someone who can contribute something good to the world is interrupted by the need to survive each new day that keeps coming.

This story is layered with a painful innocence that clashes with the harshness of reality. It’s recommended to all ages, but be cautious that most readers will fall in love with Iggy and then be forced to recognize that life doesn’t always work out as planned.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi

Mahlia's entire history has left her in a dangerous world, caught in the middle of a never-ending war. As part Chinese Castoff and part Drowned Cities, she fits in nowhere and is accepted by no one, except for Mouse, a kid who saved her life at the last moment with simple dumb luck, and the kind Doctor Mahfouz who has taken her into his home as his medical assistant, despite that she only has one hand (the other taken from her by the violence of war).

Tool is a creation of war. He is part man, part animal, and like Mahlia is accepted by no one. He has no real home except for the battlefield. He has been created and groomed to answer only to his master and his purpose is to fight to the death. He is the ultimate creature of survival, but half-men can never truly be free.

Mahlia and Tool end up in the unlikely scenario of being each others' companions and saviors. Unfortunately, there are rarely winners in any war. Recommended to all older readers, especially those who like dystopian novels and tales of war, survival, or adventure. This title is the companion to Printz Award-winning Ship Breaker, and both stories offer much food for thought.

A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Rose is sixteen, but she was born 100 years ago.

The setting for Rose's world is somewhere in our future, where there have been significant leaps in technology and business, and her family has been at the forefront of most of it. She is the only child in a very rich, politically-connected family, and she's never known anything different. Her parents travel a lot for work, and when they do she is put into stasis, a dreamlike state that slows ones body down to just a step above death -- your body ceases to grow or change, and when one wakes up it feels as though only a moment has gone by.

When Rose is kissed awake by a young man, she discovers that 62 years have passed, the world has undergone major and disastrous changes, and everyone she knows is long gone. She must learn to accept her new world and her new life, through her heartache, her confusion, and her unwelcome fame.

Those who enjoy dystopian novels will be able to get into this story before too long. For some, it might take some more time to become absorbed into Rose's life, but those who stick with her will be glad they did. This novel from first-time author Sheehan fits in solidly with the rest of its genre. Recommended most to scifi teen girls.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Tale of One Bad Rat by Bryan Talbot

We first meet Helen in an Underground Station near Trafalgar Square. We follow her through the streets of London, where she meets a collection of individuals, including Ben, who sets her up with a roof and a few meals. When her beloved pet rat is killed by one of the cats in the makeshift shelter, she decides it's time for her to keep on moving. She hitchhikes north to England's Lake District - famous for its calm and its beauty - and by accident winds up being quite literally rescued by a couple who own a pub. (It turns out that Beatrix Potter once stayed at the same pub.) It is in this place that Helen is finally able to begin to come to terms with her past, a story that the reader uncovers through flashbacks along her hard journey. 

This is a story of sexual abuse, the battle toward self-acceptance and relinquishment of undeserved guilt. This is the story of "one bad rat," who overcomes unrelenting struggle and uncovers her self-worth through the support of strong, loving adults. Recommended to all readers -- and lovers of Beatrix Potter will find something a little extra-special here as well.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Toymaker by Jeremy de Quidt

Very often I opt not to review books when I can't figure out to whom they might be recommended, but since this title is up for consideration for a Garden State Teen Book Award nomination, I figure I might as well jot some thoughts down.

The Toymaker is a creepy story, with lots of unsettling bumps along the way, and filled to the brim with a super haunting atmosphere.  Mathias has spent his whole short life traveling with his grandfather, Gustav the conjurer, as part of a circus troop.  When his grandfather dies, he is taken away by Dr. Leiter and brought to an inn in a small village.  But this is no safe and ordinary rescue; Dr. Leiter knows that Gustav has been hiding a secret and he wants to make sure that this particular secret is never uncovered.  Dr. Leiter and his "partner," an incredibly violent and unfeeling dwarf named Valder, are willing to go to great lengths to discover what Mathias knows, or destroy him in the process.  But a young girl working at the inn named Katta rescues Mathias and propels them both into a whirlwind chase filled with death, fear, pain, and only the smallest chance of survival.

There is little to like about this story or many of the characters.  Koening, the Burner who ultimately becomes friend and caregiver to the young ones, has the biggest heart, but the reader is never quite sure of his motive.  Stefan, Koenig's brother and companion, and Katta are never without a violent thought for the other.  And Mathias is being dragged along through so much of the trip due to injuries and sickness, that the reader never truly comes to know him.  Part action/adventure, part fantasy, part mystery, this story blurs lines and take the reader along for quite the ride. 

"The Toymaker will touch your heart and haunt you forever." . . . And that's not necessarily a good thing.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Habibi by Craig Thompson

Take one look at Habibi and you know you are in for a masterpiece from the author/illustrator of Blankets.  This thick tomb of story and artwork is completely captivating, thought-provoking, and inspirational.

The story is told in pieces, skipping delicately through time.  Dodola first met Zam when she was a teenager and he was only three years old, both of them orphans with no money, no food, and no home.  Dodola saves Zam and they find an abandoned ship in the dried-up dessert to make their home, and she cares for Zam as though he is her own child.  She finds them food each day, and Zam finds their water supplies.  Of course as Zam grows older, he becomes more and more curious -- both of their living situation and survival, as well as of Dodola as a woman.  When he follows her one day and finds that she trades her body to men for their food, he ventures to the village hoping to be able to provide for her, and for them.  This growth and this journey separate them.

This is the story of how they come back together again.

Told beautifully in words and images, the Arabic language revealed as art in and of itself, the reader is immersed in the hardships of poverty, the abuse of power and strength, and the joy found in shared experience, passion, and hope.  Recommended to all adults.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

39 Clues series by various authors

These books may not be long, but they contain great adventures. They're more Harry Potter with a scavenger hunt. The 2 main characters, Dan and Amy, travel around the world with their au pair (babysitter) to compete for $1,000,000. I would have to give this book a 4 out of 5 stars, because whenever they are in a death situation, it's kind of obvious they will live, because there are other books to the series.

Reviewed by Jonathan.

Room by Emma Donoghue

I know, I know, I'm probably one of the last people to read this book.  But a regular library user and friend enthusiastically and strongly recommended that I get a hold of the audiobook (knowing that I do most of my adult fiction reading during work and babysitting commutes), and I finally got around to acknowledging her suggestion.  Told from the point-of-view of a five-year-old boy, this audiobook is stunning.

Hachette Audio presents Room with a full cast and the five-year-old voice portraying the character of Jack is both heartwarming and gut-wrenching, as the story is splayed out in all its glory and horror.  Jack has never known anything outside of Room.  He knows Rug and TV and Wardrobe and Bed, but he knows nothing about Outside.  He's not even sure that Outside is really real.  Until his mother comes up with a plan to escape from Room and from the man who kidnapped her seven years ago.

Outside is a whole new world to become accustomed to, both for Jack and for Ma, and it may end up being the hardest experience that either of them have to survive.  Recommended to adult readers and older teens with a taste for the depressing and the hopeful.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Libba Bray is either an unconquerable genius or a total loony-toon.  Either way, she's hilarious.  Beauty Queens is a must-read, and if you can get it on audio (read by the author!), all the better.  Think the television series Lost, the movie Miss Congeniality, and throw in some Lord of the Flies and your favorite chick lit to the mix . . .

While believing that they were on their way to a super fun beach vacation, fifty contestants for the Miss Teen Dream beauty pageant have been stranded on a desert island with no communication and no chaperones.  Miss New Mexico is left with an airline serving tray stuck in her forehead, Miss Texas AKA Taylor Rene Krystal Hawkins is the official leader of the bunch (until she goes completely mad), and Miss Rhode Island is actually a boy.  They have to figure out how to work together to survive and try to get themselves rescued, while navigating the unforeseen complications presented by a group of sexy pirates . . . and, of course, ultimately avoiding being killed at the hands of the Corporation.

This novel is complete satire, and it's completely hilarious.  At times it seems to be overdone, parts are predictable, and it's absolutely berating pop culture and politics - but then it turns around and convinces the reader that that was the whole point all along.  This should be a joy to listen to for any high school reader!

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

P. S. Does anyone else think that LadyBird Hope sounds exactly like Sarah Palin?!  Beautiful!

Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Eleven-year-old Jack Martel loves elephants.  He can tell you all sorts of facts about them, and he finds comfort in their company (even the ones that are only plastic).  Jack and his mom have traveled up to Maine from Boston for an impromptu vacation, and Jack is dying to see Lydia, Maine's own real live elephant, but Mom says that they can't.  Then Mom leaves.  Jack wakes up the first morning at the Arcadia National Park campsite and his mother is gone, leaving only the tent that Jack was sleeping under.  Over the next few days the story follows Jack as he tries to figure out not only how to survive without any money, shelter, or guidance, but also what happened to his mom -- why she left, where she is now, and if he'll ever see her again.  Jack meets a number of characters along his journey -- some helpful, and some kind of creepy -- but it's the toy elephant in his pocket that remains his most loyal companion.  But an elephant won't necessarily be able to feed him or save him -- or bring Mom back.

Recommended most for middle grade readers, especially boys with a taste for adventure that isn't too frightening... nor too predictable.
Call number: YA JACOBSON (Teen Room)




Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Trapped by Michael Northrop

It started out like another average day.  There was a basketball game that night and maybe a pop quiz on Friday.  And even when the snow started to come down, it wasn't really a big deal.  Scotty and Pete even let Jason talk them into staying at the school after the early dismissal to work on his go-kart project in the shop classroom.  Even though there wouldn't be any late buses that day because of the weather, Jason knew that his dad would be okay with picking them all up on his way home from work later that day.

Unfortunately, no one came even close to the school later that day.  Or for many of the days that followed.  Scotty, Pete, Jason, and four other kids were stuck at school, during what was really truly the blizzard to beat out all blizzards.  Once the power and the heat went out, the seven bundled up in whatever they had, and felt their way through the cafeteria so that they wouldn't starve to death.  They slept when they could, the saved whatever battery power they could find, and they prayed.  But they knew that no one could save their lives.

Recommended for all middle school and high school readers looking for an adventure and ultimate survival story.  

Call number: YA NORTHROP (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Compound by S. A. Bodeen

Are you prepared in the case of a nuclear disaster? An escape route, food, shelter, and ensured safety for all of your loved ones? Billionaire Rex Yanakakis, head of “the biggest computer manufacturer and software developer in the world,” has thought of everything. The Compound is an underground shelter built specifically for the Yanakakis family, a pretty close replication of the mansion that existed in their lives before the nuclear attack. One thing that Rex didn’t count on, though, was leaving his son Eddy, Eli’s twin brother, behind.

At fifteen, Eli has survived six years in the Compound. He’s let his hair grow long so that it covers his face, he refuses to touch anyone or be touched by anyone in his family, and he barely talks to anyone if he can help it. He misses Eddy, is reproachful of his sisters, and seriously distrusts his father, who is withdrawn, erratic, and secretive. When Eli discovers a connection to the outside through wireless internet access, everything changes. What if there was no nuclear disaster? What if Eddy and Gram are still alive and well? What if this was all just a game?

This title will certainly appeal to fans of Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life As We Knew It and the dead & the gone, Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games, and other apocalyptic fiction. There are plot twists that may be upsetting to some readers, but many will be enthralled by this action-packed survival adventure. The underlying reality of the whole scenario is disturbingly exciting.
Call number: YA BODEEN (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian