D’Adamo, Francesco Iqbal – based on the true story of a boy who tried to help the children of Pakistan escape working in bondage in carpet factories. Though it is interesting, the book is short and not written well (this is a translation) enough to make me want to buy it. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
D’Lacey, Chris Fire Star 549 Pages – Language: G; Sexual Content: G; Violence: G – This is the continuing story of David Rain and the Pennykettle dragons sculptures that come alive. While David has been away in the Arctic studying the polar bears that he is writing his news story about, strange things are happening back at the Pennykettle’s where the fire-less hybrid dragon Grockle has been in a stone state, and now the dragons want to bring him back to life. But Liz Pennykettle’s daughter Lucy suddenly disappears, along with the wishing dragon G’reth. David returns home to help sort things out, and he and the Pennykettle family slowly start to learn of the strange Fire Star, a star that, when it appears in the Arctic, will be able to bring back the world’s last real dragon, Gawain, which is where Lucy has been taken to assist in doing so. In this third installment, known enemies from former books return, and a new otherworldly one is brought it. I feel that the author’s writing has improved immensely since the first two books, and things have become much better explained throughout the series. Even with this improvement though, sometimes the plot feels a bit scattered and hard to follow enjoyably. It’s sort of put together almost choppily, with no real flow to the events that occur. The rather clichéd and predictable ending to this particular book made the overall story much less likeable. I feel that this book was also aimed at a younger audience than that at a middle school level, but you could still find a few that would really be able to enjoy this book, and this series. Also, one more thing to point out is that this book’s “scattered” feeling would be magnified if someone hadn’t read its predecessors. EL, MS – ADVISABLE- if you have the whole series; OPTIONAL- if this book is by itself ; Student Reviewer: KR
D’Lacey, Chris Icefire, 421 p. – David has always been amused by the adorable dragon statues that his landlord, Liz, creates. Then one day he makes a wish on a dragon crafted by Lucy, Liz’s daughter and strange things start happening. As David tries to prove the existence of dragons as the topic of his paper for one of his professors, he also finds himself involved with the class’ goth-girl and dreaming about polar bears. When Liz’s Aunt Gwyneth arrives, the whole situation just gets more twisted. Gwyneth takes control of the house and control of the people in it, creating the conditions for her to ultimately claim the frozen dragon’s tear and enhance her powers for her own ends. Not a first tier purchase of fantasy, but a good runner up. Just the thought of dragons will catch many kids’ attention. EL, MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dahlberg, Maurine Escape to West Berlin, 179 p. – Heidi and her family live in East Berlin, while her father works in the West. Though no one knows it, the Berlin Wall is about to be built, which will cut the East off from the West decisively. Heidi’s best friend Petra is very involved with the Communist youth group, and Heidi doesn’t know if she can trust her as her family makes plans to flee. What amazed me is that so many people of East Berlin seemed to learn absolutely nothing from the atrocities of WWII. They are more than happy to spy on and then turn on their friends and neighbors and submit themselves to Communist propaganda. But the book is not riveting and would be a better expense in paperback. EL, MS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dahlberg, Maurine F. The Story of Jonas, 148 p. Farrar, Strauss, Giroux – Jonas has always been happy and proud of his work on Master Williams plantation and is looking forward to his training as his new body servant. First, though, Jonas must survive a trip across the plains as he accompanies Master Percy, Master’s son, as her journeys to the California goldfields. Almost as soon as they join the wagon train, Jonas’ concept of the world and his place in it are challenged and what he always wanted for his life may not be enough any more. A simple, easy book that is fairly typical of the genre. Nothing new here. EL, MS-OPTIONAL
Dale, Anna Dawn Undercover, 360 p. Bloomsbury – Dawn, invisible at home and at school, attracts the attention of a ring of spies, who recruit Dawn to aid them in solving the disappearance of one of their master spies. Dawn has to change her name and move with a surrogate mother to a small village. The whole arrangement is complicated by the unwelcome presence of a boy and his unruly dog. I thought the whole book was rather silly and disliked it for that reason – My teenaged daughter thought the book was silly and liked it for that very reason. EL, MS – OPTIONAL
Daley, Michael Shanghaied to the Moon, 251 p. Penguin – Stewart wants more than anything to pilot spaceships – just like his mom did until she died in a tragic accident. Unfortunately, he can’t master one of the essential skills. Weird dreams and flashes are interrupting his life and in desperation he runs to one of the old spaceports, where he meets an old man who talks, almost forces, Stewart into joining him on a trip into space. Stewart is not sure that he will ever make it back to Earth alive. While tons of fantasy for younger readers abounds, but this is one of the few true space science fiction books of late. Adventure, close calls and danger abounds, along with plenty of information about space flight conditions. While SciFi is not as popular as fantasy, this title will fill a gap in collections. EL, MS -OPTIONAL
Darrow, Sharon The Painters of Lexieville, 182 p. – “Pert” lives in a jumble of shacks in a town that really doesn’t deserve a name. Not only does she have to deal with the scorn of the rich townies, her low-life uncle is sexually interested in her. The tense climactic action and its aftermath make this an excellent read. MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Datlow, Ellen and Terri Windling, editors Swan Sister: Fairy Tales Retold – 15 authors share retellings of familiar fairy tales in the second installment of this series. MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
David, Laurie and Cambria Gordon The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming, 136 p. Scholastic, 2007. Without talking down and without be obtuse, the authors introduced students to the science and the emotions behind global warming. Any young students could easily pick this up and immediately become an expert on how to save the planet. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Cindy, Library-Teacher
David, Peter Knight Life – Merlin has escaped his prison and brought King Arthur back to modern New York. What does the former King of Britons do in modern times? He runs for Mayor, of course! Gwen, Morgan, Mordred, Percival join Arthur. HS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
David, Peter One Knight Only – Arthur is now the President of the United States, Percival is missing and Merlin is locked into a statue. An ancient enemy blackmails Arthur into relinquishing the presidency in exchange for killing the terrorists who have put Gwen into a coma with a single gunshot to the head. HS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Davies, David Clement Fell,pgs.- 521 Publisher- Amulet Books Language- PG, Sexual Content G, Violence- PG; Fell is a mysterious lone black wolf. He is seperated from his pack by what they call the Sight and by his facination with man. The Sight is when a wolf or creature can see the past, future and present in water. His dead sister calls to him and tells him about a prophecy that he must fulfill. Alina is what the villagers call a Changeling she was found by a shepherd Malduk who now treats her badly and makes her dress and work like a boy. She has a bitter and lonely life until she finally sets out to find out who she truely is. Alina and Fell meet and together they go on a very exciting adventure. Fell was an amazing book I loved it. There is a book before it explaining more about Fell’s past and I have not read that one yet but this one is amazing. MS HS- ESSENTIAL; Student Reviewer: AN
Davies, Nicola One Tiny Turtle, illustrated by Jane Chapman. Candlewick, 2001 (paperback 2008). PICTURE BOOK. The life of a loggerhead turtle unfolds, from its tiny beginnings to its own brood of turtle eggs. Beautiful illustrations compliment the simple text (with optional factual details); my favorites are the undersea ones, which glow with their reflected light. This is a perfect read-aloud for a class studying the sea or sea animals and its even contains a CD for read-along and full of fantastic loggerhead turtle facts. It’s a great school library book and a great gift book too. EL – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library-Teacher.
Davies, Nicola Big Blue Whale, illustrated by Nick Maland. Candlewick, 1997 (paperback, 2008). PICTURE BOOK. The blue whale’s characteristics, habitat and life cycle are explored and this perfectly detailed book for younger students. The illustrations feel like old-fashioned illustrations or scrimshaw. The read-aloud text is complimented by more detailed facts that can be explored or not as th reader prefers. Am accompanying CD adds more information about the blue whale and includes the read-along version of the book also. Whether as a gift for an enthusiast or for use in the classroom, this book is a keeper. EL – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library-Teacher.
Davis, Caitlyn What’s Hot, 208 p. Holy is trying to make money working at the local country club in the Snack Shak. There’s more heat in the shack than just from the grill as sparks fly between Holly and her bossy co-worker Paul.
Davis, Deborah Not Like You 268p.Clarion Books/07. LANG:PG13 SEX:R VIO:PG Kayla moves to New Mexico after her alcoholic mother promises, yet again, to quit drinking and start over new. Kayla starts a new dog walking business and a relationship with twenty-four year old Remy, but Kayla has to decide what is most important to her,taking care of her mother, or taking care of herself. I thought the book was okay,but I didn’t really care about the characters, and I didn’t really like Kayla.MS-NO,not worth putting in a school library. Student Reviewer:JN
Davis, Deborah Not Like You, 219 p. Clarion – Sexual content; Language: R; (Swears – 72) – Kayla is tired of moving from place to place. Her mother goes on about how she’s a new woman this time, and this is a new chapter in their new lives. But because of past experiences, Kayla doubts her mother can keep up her sobriety. She’s tired of taking care of her mother after she’s been out drinking all night. And now that their moving to a new town, Kayla doubts they can stay for long. Will Kayla and her mother be able to overcome her drinking problem? I loved this book, but I don’t know if other people will, due to the language. HS – OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer: LH
Davis, Katie Kindergarten Rocks! Voyeager (Harcourt), 2008. PICTURE BOOK. Bright, clever illustrations enhance the experience of Dexter, who is not worried at all about starting kindergarten. His older sister Jessie has told him everything he needs to know, so he does his best to calm the fears of Rufus the stuffed dog. The greatest thing Dexter encounters on his first day at school is the library where he learns that one can find information about everything. This is a fun book that effectively calms the first-day jitters for those anticipating kindergarten. EL (PK) – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: BS
Davis, Michele Ivy Evangeline Brown and the Cadillac Motel 182 p. – Evangeline has always lives with her father in the motel with the pink Cadillac sticking out of the wall. Since her mother died, the motel has become worn down. A new 6th grade teacher has “Eddie” worried, because she will be doing home visits and Eddie wants to make her father look good, even though he does spend most of his day drinking. When her plans fail, Eddie decides it is time for something desperate. While the book is very good, it will have a hard time finding its audience, because neither the cover nor the title are exciting. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Davis, Rebecca Jake Riley: Irreparably Damaged – An excellent book that will not work in most Utah MS or HS libraries. The descriptions of why Jake is so damaged are too graphic for our audiences. I loved the book, but don’t know that I would take the risk even if I were in a HS. If you already carry “A Child Called It”, then this book would work for you. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
Daze, Anna Whispering to Witches, 296 p. – Joe has to spend Christmas in a small village with his mother and her new family. On the train he meets up with a weird cast of characters and finds himself off the train at the wrong the station. The next day, he is approached by a young lady, who restores his memory of his encounter with witches and helps her solve a deep mystery. Well done, fun to read. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dean, Pamela Dubious Hills – Only the children of the DUbious Hills have magic – until about the age of eight. Then they go on “vacation” for a few years until they wake up one day knowing their place for the rest of their lives, knowing things that everyone else has to be told. A werewolf has been stalking the town and Arry and Oonan don’t know how to fix it. HS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dean, Zoey Talent, 288 p. Razorbill (Penguin), 2008. Mackenzie Little-Armstrong’s entire life will be ruined if she isn’t elected the Social Chair of Bel-Air Middle School. When her greatest rival returns from Paris (that’s Mac’s town!) looking gorgeous and ready to rumble, Mac is desperate to claw her way back to the top. Emily is just a middle class Iowa girl on a dream vacation to LA who managed to lie her way into the same exclusive party. Mac is determined to make Emily a star as a way to reclaim her prominence and she will make Emily do what she wants her to. This name-dropping Hollywood novel actually goes down much more easily than most that I have read lately. It’s still full of self-absorbed tweens (these soon-to-be eigth graders are definitely full of themselves – oops, not Emily), but it comes off as light-hearted and good intentioned, instead of all of the other Mean Girl-type books I have read. I don’t remember any swears and all the drinks were “virgin”. MS – OPTIONAL (its out in paper now). . Cindy, Library-Teacher.
Decter, Ed Expedition to Blue Cave, 182 pgs. Simon and Schuster – Language: G, Sexual content: G, Violence: G – A great adventure for boys and girls as we tag along with Cam Walker and his group of friends called the outriders; together they face robbers, parents, and transportation problems. Cam and the other outriders are going to Blue Cave. But when they get there everything goes wrong. A fun adventure filled with laughs and love, Cam and his friends are easy and fun to hang out with. EL-OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer HD
Decter, Ed The Outriders: Expedition to Willow Key, 207 p. Simon and Schuster – Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: G – Cam Walker and the Outriders are trying to fund a trip to Willow Key to help their Biology teacher, Mr. Mora. They don’t know how to raise the money until Mr. Thorpe, the richest man on Surf Island, strikes a deal with Cam. Soon the Outriders are on their way to Willow Key, where they face some big problems, like getting home! I really enjoyed reading this book it just kept getting better and better. The Outriders have some thrilling adventures together. EL, MS-ADVISABLE. Student Reviewer HD
Dee, Barbara Just Another Day in my Insanely Real Life, 252 p. Simon Schuster- Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: G – Cassie’s dad has left her family, and everything has gone down hill. She thinks that no one cares about her. This general idea feels like it has been used a lot. I think that people can relate to it easily, though. MS-OPTIONAL; Student Reviewer: KD
Deem, James M. Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past, 58 p. Houghton Mifflin, 2008. Whether you are teaching weathering, climatology, anthropology and general science, this book has something for you. Glaciers all over the world, their creation, their impact and the mysterious remains found within them are all well-covered in a very short space. Every page has several color pictures. There is something for any grade level in here. EL, MS, HS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Cindy, Library-Teacher
De Felice, Cynthia The Ghost of Cutler Creek 181 p. – Allie Nicholls has solved two mysteries involving ghosts. This new mystery has her puzzled, though, because she can’t understand what the ghost wants. The new boy in town is also very mysterious and his father is just plain mean. Then the mystery really thickens when Hoover, the beloved dog of Allie’s favorite teacher, disappears while Allie is dog-sitting. Third in the series. EL – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
de Fombelle, Timothee Toby Alone, 384 pages, published 2009, Sexual Content: G, Language: G, Violence: G. This is a book about a boy named Toby Lolness who is only half a millimeter tall. He lives on a big tree, but he is in big trouble because he knows a big secret that his brilliant dad figured out about the tree, it’s alive. Everybody wants to catch him so they can figure it out, even if it means killing him. I really liked this book because he never gave up, he always stayed strong and he was very brave. Interest level: EL – MS – ESSENTIAL. Student reviewer: SO.
De Guzman, Michael Beekman’s Big Deal, 213 p. – Beekman’s father is sure that is next deal will be the big one. The two have them have moved all over the city in pursuit of “the deal”. Beekman has trouble settling into a new school, but he loves his new neighborhood. Just as things start looking brighter, a bully chooses Beekman as his target and Beekman’s father is ready to move on to the next big deal. Beekman has to decide whether he will stand up for anything. The bully sequences are especially vivid and will speak to any student who has been bullied. Unfortunately the bullying is only discovered by accident, because Beekman doesn’t trust even his father. The end is a little deux ex machina, but Beekman deserves a happy ending. EL, MS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Delacruz, Melissa The Au Pairs 292 p. – Three girls find themselves in the glamorous world of riches at the Hamptons as summer au pairs for a wealthy couple. (Sound of me gagging) If you have to read this one, wait until it is in paperback at the 50 cents table at a sale somewhere. This is summer beach reading material – which means it has absolutely no value for a school library anywhere. Plus a healthy dose of sex and alcohol makes it inappropriate, too. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
De La Cruz, Melissa Blue Bloods, 302 p. – Out at a night club, a girl is murdered – some say that all of the blood was drained from her body. Then Schuyler Van Allen discovers that she is a “Blue Blood” – an ancient race of vampires. The murdered girl was also a vampire – but only a “Silver Blood” can kill a Blue Blood and no one will even acknowledge the Silvers’ existence. With lots of suspects and plenty of detail and intrigue, the series has lots of promise to intrigue teens fascinated with vampires. Unfortunately, two overly descriptive sex scenes will relegate this book to at least high school shelves, if not only public libraries or book stores. I can’t carry it here in my middle school – SIGH! NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
De La Cruz, Melissa The Ashleys, 245 pgs. Aladdin Mix. Language-G; Sexual Content-G; Violence-G; The three girls with the same name, Ashley, rule the school. When Lauren’s family becomes rich over the summer, she hopes to join them in their fashion forward lives only to spoil their rein; there might just be a new name in school. This is a Gossip Girl or The Clique for twelve year-olds. It was all about being popular and having designer brands, without any of the questionable stuff you might find in the books written for the older age group. I thought that it showed perfectly how people can still be mean to you even if you are beautiful and have all of the money in the world, and of course how the boy factor plays into everything. It also demonstrates how even if you are popular, you can get sick of being perfect all the time and having so many fake friends. Read only if you’re into really girly stuff. ADVISABLE-MIDDLE SCHOOL Student Reviewer-KD
Delaney, Joseph Revenge of the Witch, 343 p. – First in the Last Apprentice series. Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son. When it comes time for him to leave home, his family apprentices him to the local Spook – the hunter of all things which go bump in the night. Thomas must learn how to deal with boggarts, ghasts, ghosts and bone witches. His own trusting nature leads him into a situation where he may just die. Full of witches, supernatural rituals and talk of blood magic. Probably not for every school, but some will love it! MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Delaney, Michael The Great Sockathon 183 p. – Sabrina sees and hears a gost in the huge old tree in the town green, When she learns that the tree needs to be removed because it is dying, she and her friends go on a crusade. They decide to collect socks and money in order to get their point across. Not a bad read, but not a great read either. El – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
De Lint, Charles Medicine Road, 206 p. – Twin sister musicians are on the road when one of them finds a mystery man who just might be the love of her life- but can she see beyond the fact that he used to be a dog? I personally love Charles DeLint’s work, but they are definitely written for adults, not school aged anyone. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
De Lint, Charles The Blue Girl, 368 p. – Imogene has found a best friend at her new school and has managed to stay out of trouble (mostly) for a year. Then she gets acquainted with the resident ghost, who brings her to the attention of evil beings (more evil than the local jocks) who want Imogene’s life. Okay – I know I just got done saying the De Lint is mainly for adults. But this one is aimed at and written for Young Adults. Would fit well into any high and many middle collections. Beware of a smattering of swear words and some sexual innuendo. MS, HS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
De Mari, Silvana The Last Dragon 361p. – Language- PG; Sexual Content- G; Violence- PG – This book is about a little elf who has left his city due to flooding, and begun a journey of his own. He meets people along the way, and learns about a prophecy, and that he is the only one who can fulfill it, because he is the last elf. When I read The Last Dragon, it was hard for me to concentrate on the story line, and know what was going on. I would definitely recommend it to someone else, because I know that others would enjoy it, but it is just not me. MS – OPTIONAL; Student Reviewer: JH
De Mari, Silvana The Last Dragon, 361 p. Hyperion – Language- G, Sexual content- G, Violence- PG – Yorsh’s elf village was destroyed by the “raging waters” and he is sent out by his grandmother. He stumbles on some humans and he gets them and himself into a lot of trouble. He also finds a lost prophecy that he is destined to fufull. I thought this book was amazing. One of the greatest books I have read in a very long time. It was amazing I loved it. It has so many twists and turns that keep you guessing right till the very end. EL, MS – ESSENTIAL. Student Reviewer: AN
De Meulemeester, Linda The Secret of Grim Hill, 187 p. Lobster Press, 2007. Soccer is Cat’s life and her school is pure torture. So she jumps at the chances to tryout for a championship game that may also earn her a scholarship to the local private school. Only her little sister and her new friend think that something is very suspicious, but they may not be able to save Cat from herself and the deadly secret. The only thing that needs to be changed about this book is the cover – the cartoony girl looks like a 5th grader when she really needs to look more like the high school girl she professes to be. I can even forgive the school caricatures and flat characters, but not that cover. Fantasy readers will enjoy it if you can get them to look beyond that. MS – OPTIONAL
Demi The Boy Who Painted Dragons PICTURE BOOK McElderry (Simon and Schuster), 2007. In order to conquer his fears, Ping paints dragons everywhere. The dragons, flattered by his attention, gift him three treasures of wisdom. He confronts three dragons, each in turn, and gains even more wisdom on his journey. Demi’s retelling of an ancient tale doesn’t really work for me. The tale makes little sense, especially since he had already been given pearls of wisdom and just goes out seeking more. EL – OPTIONAL
Deming, Sarah. Iris, Messenger, 224 Pages. Harcourt. Language – PG; Sexual Content – PG; Violence – G; Iris has always preferred imaginary people over any type of person, child or adult. Until one day, she finds Poseidon running a fish shack on the Jersey Shore. That’s the just the beginning of this exploration of Greek myths and the answer to what happens to Gods when no one believes in them any longer. I’ve always loved Greek mythology so it was enjoyable for me to read about the Greek Gods in a modern day setting while recounting all the myths I love, and being introduced to one or two new ones. EL/MS – ADVISABLE. Student reviewer: KH
Derby, Pat Away to the Goldfields, 24 p. – Molly is determined to follow her father and older brother to the goldfields of California, even if that means she has to drag her bad-tempered and dim brother along with her. They set out to find passage from Boston, not realizing the adventures and troubles that will face them across the isthmus of Panama, up the coast and all the way into the hills of northern California. Though I have read many gold rush stories, Molly still has something fun and interesting to add to the subject. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Desnoettes, Caroline Look Closer: Art Masterpieces through the Ages PICTURE BOOK Walker (Bloomsbury) – The author looks at 19 masterpieces, enlarging certain details, asking questions and short looks at each painting’s subject, history and palette. This book would be useful at any age for a short or involved discussion about art, especially if you have a document camera hooked up to a projector. EL, MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dessen, Sarah Just Listen, 371 p. – Annabel is starting her sophomore year without a friend in the world. A dramatic fight with her best friend left her alone all summer and everyone has taken sides against Annabel. Except Owen – a young man with anger management issues and a very odd Sunday morning radio show. Annabel’s problem is wrapped up in her sister Whitney’s eating disorder and her mother’s breakdown over her grandmother’s death. Though this book feels like a direct rip off of Speak, its depth and crafting allows the reader to forgive the obvious parallels and enjoy it on its own. There are less than a dozen swear words, but two of those are “f”. There is also a tense sexual scene that stops just at the edge of going too far in to the unnecessary description cliff. If you have ninth graders in your school, I say go for it. It will have a huge circulation like Speak. HS-ESSENTIAL, MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dessen, Sarah The Truth About Forever, 375 p. – Two years ago, Macy’s father died of a heart attack right in front of her. She and her mother have done a poor job of facing their grief and are just barely holding on. This summer, Macy’s boyfriend tells her that he needs a break from the relationship, Macy starts a part time job with a small catering business and starts breaking free of her guilt and grief with the help of the motley crew, but especially Wes, the boy with whom she plays an on-going game of Truth, forcing her to face the Truth. Excellent! The best Dessen book I have read. MS, HS – ADVISABLE or ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Deuker, Carl Runner, 216 p. – Chance and his father are barely making ends meet living on their little sailboat in the harbor. His dad spends most of his time drunk and out of work. At the same time Chance gets to know a lovely young lady at school, he also gets approached by someone to pick up and store mysterious packages – easy work for a whole lot of money. Chance quickly realizes that he is in way over his head, but doesn’t know how to get himself out without physical harm. Way different from Deuker’s sports novel, but still a good addition to the collection. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Deutsch, Stacia and Rhody Cohon In the Stars, 290 p. Simon and Schuster, 2007. Sylvie’s best friend insists that everything is a sign and that life is written in the stars. When she loses her mother’s diamond, Cherise is sure that love is coming Sylvie’s way. And though it looks like love is in Sylvie’s future, sometimes the signs are pointing to someone we least suspect. A cute, romantic book, especially if you like astrology. MS – ADVISABLE
DeVillers, Julia How my Private, Personal Journal became a Bestseller 212 p. – Jamie accidentally submits a journal entry instead of her English assignment and ends up becoming a published author. The new teen sensation of the moment, she brushes shoulders with the rich and famous, while juggling school and friends and catching the eye of her crush. She finds herself having to draw on the principles she wrote about in her bestseller in order to survive. Middle schools – BUY THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY. Multiple copies! Once your students find this book, it will go out ALOT! MS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
DeVillers, Julia and Jennifer Roy Trading Faces, 296 p. Aladdin (Simon), 2009. 7th grade has just started and identical twins Payton and Emma don’t have a single class together – not even lunch. But when push comes to shove, the girls are going to need each other as they plot a complicated scheme to take each other’s place after fashionista Payton makes a social faux pas and needs brainiac Emma’s help. Now the girls are learning about each other’s lives and about the unrealistic expectations that we create for ourselves and that others foist upon us. Younger readers will mostly just enjoy the girls’ antics as they try to cover for each other. The bonus that most students won’t notice is that the authors are identical twin sisters, each a respected author in her own right! EL – ADVISABLE, MS – OPTIONAL.
De Vries, Hilary So 5 Minutes Ago – Fear and loathing in the Hollywood publicists’ job world. Don’t waste your time. NO
Dhami, Narinder Bollywood Babes, 213 p. – The three sisters, Amber, Geena and Jazz, try to help out the fundraising at their school by enlisting a former Bollywood star to come to their school for a celebration. When they discover that Molly Mahal is indigent, they invite her to live in their tiny house, displacing their auntie and causing a ruckus. I haven’t read the first book about the sisters, Bindi Babies, but this one was very cute. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
DiCamillo, Kate and Chris Van Dusen (illustrator) Mercy Watson Fights Crime, 70 p. Candlewick Press – Language-G, Sexual Content-G, Violence-G – Mercy Watson is a pig that loves toast and butter. She uses that love to capture a thief. This was a really cute picture book. The illustrations were really good. My little sister that is in 1st grade read it fine, although it was a little confusing for her. It is a book that I would read to get the last two points of my AR goal. It isn’t a smart choice for our library, even though I thought it was good. EL – OPTIONAL; Student Reviewer:KD
DiCamillo, Kate Tale of Despereaux – An extremely cute book about a mouse who falls in love with a princess and must rescue her from evil lurking in the dungeon. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dickens, Charles A Christmas Carol, illustrated by Robert Ingpen. 188 p. Peguin, 2008. ISBN:978-0-698-40085-6. I cannot imagine how much time and love went into Ingpen’s beautiful illustrations. No two pages go by without some sort of inspired drawing lighting it’s pages. This is the kind of book that you give as a gift to yourself or to someone else who lives Christmas. Or, if your school needs a new edition of the treasured classic, this one is far above anything I have seen lately – just make sure you get the right one! EL, MS, HS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Cindy, Library-Teacher
Dietlof Reiche Ghost Ship, 313 p. – Young Vicki is ready to work for her father all summer in their seashell adorned restaurant, but when the head of ship’s figurehead on their wall is removed for cleaning, Vicki glimpses on the interior a gruesome picture of a man hanged from a yardarm. Then that ship, with its headless figurehead, appears on the town’s beach and Vicki knows that she MUST get on that boat. With the help of Peter, a summer visitor, Vicki must solve an ancient curse. Most students won’t ever realize that this is a translation from German. It is an exciting read, especially fans of pirates and oceans. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dillon, Leo and Diane Mother Goose: Numbers on the Loose PICTURE BOOK Harcourt, 2007. The Dillons have taken some familiar and several lesser known Mother Goose Rhymes and re-imagined the illustrations. The illustrations easily outclass the rhymes, making for an unbalanced book. EL – OPTIONAL
DiTerlizzi, Tony and Holly Black The Chronicles of Spiderwick: A Grand Tour of the Enchanted World Navigated by Thimbletack PICTURE/ADVENTURE/SCRAP BOOK Simon and Schuster, 2007. Read through the bits and pieces of Thimbletack’s scrapbook of his adventures and observations and collections. A fascinating 3-D look at the pages of the books and the magical domains. I don’t know how well scrapbooks hold up in your school, but if you don’t mind a little wear and tear and lose, then your fans of the series will adore this title. EL – ESSENTIAL
DiTerlizzi, Tony and Holly Black The Nixie’s Song, 162 p. Simon and Schuster, 2007. Knowledge of fairie has spread with the publishing of Black and DiTerlizzi’s guide, though the Grace children maintain that the information is not completely correct. Through the machinations of his new step-sister, Laurie, Nick Vargas can see them all – the fairies and one of them is set upon destroy Nick’s entire neighborhood, unless he and Laurie can come up with some help and a plan. Though there is one violent episode (caught me totally by surprise), the book is otherwise a fitting successor to the orignaly series. EL, MS – ESSENTIAL
Divakaruni, Chitra The Conch Bearer – Anand is chosen by a mysterious old man to bear a conch shell with magnificent magical powers on a long, trying journey to escape a deadly enemy. Unfortunately for Anand, he also has to put up with the young and annoying Nisha. EL-ADVISABLE, MS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dodd, Quentin The Princess of Neptune 212 p. – Thoera and her little brother Verb are kidnapped by insect aliens from the moon of the planet Neptune so that Theo can participate in a galactic beauty pageant. Meeting aliens from all over the galaxy and from other galaxies is lots of fun, but the Mall Beast, kidnapping, brainwashing and a true battle of the bands, where Theo gets to display her drumming skills and save the day, make it tense, dangerous and exciting. Campy, funny, engaging. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dodd, Quentin The Princess of Neptune 212 p. – Thoera and her little brother Verb are kidnapped by insect aliens from the moon of the planet Neptune so that Theo can participate in a galactic beauty pageant. Meeting aliens from all over the galaxy and from other galaxies is lots of fun, but the Mall Beast, kidnapping, brainwashing and a true battle of the bands, where Theo gets to display her drumming skills and save the day, make it tense, dangerous and exciting. Campy, funny, engaging. EL, MS – ADVISABLE
Dogar, Sharon Waves, 344 pages Scholastic Inc. – Language- PG13 (It was written by a British lady and I couldn’t tell if some of the words were swear words. They sounded kind of like it though.), Sexual Content- PG13, Violence- PG – Hal has to figure out the reason his sister, Charley, is in a coma. He gets help by hearing her thoughts in his own head; she doesn’t want him to figure it out though. This book took me a second to get used to and to figure out what was going on. The author takes you back in time and then to the present time a lot. A lot of the characters were the typical ones that you see in every book. I liked that it had a sweet summer romance mixed in with it. HS- ADVISABLE; Student Reviewer: KD
Doherty, Berlie The Girl Who Saw Lions, 249 pgs. Roaring Books Press. Language- G, Sexual Content- G; Violence- G; Abela is a very strong girl that lives in Africa. She gets very scared when her mom dies of AIDS and she is left with no one. I didn’t like this book. I couldn’t get into it for some reason. It was kind of boring to read. HS-NO. Student Reviewer: MB
Dokey, Cameron Before Midnight 193 p. Simon and Schuster – La Cendrillion and Roaul have been raised as brother and sister, isolated from the bustling capitol on a grand estate. Then one day Cendrillion’s father sends to them a new wife and two new sisters. Hesitant to reveal her identity, Cendrillion allows them to treat her as a servant, until one day her secret is revealed. Another skillfully retold fairy tale that brings new light and added dimension to previously flat characters. Lovers of fairy tales will adore this latest entry. MS, HS-ESSENTIAL
Dokey, Cameron Belle (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast), 204 p. Simon Pulse, 2008. Belle lacks the Beauty of her dazzling sisters, at least that is how she feels. She consoles herself with her love of wood and carving. The family fortunes reverse and they end up in a small home near a mysterious forest. Then Belle’s father is lost within the forest and makes a bad deal with an angry castle dweller. Belle, sends herself to the castle in order to keep her father’s promise. While this book is based around the core of the Beauty story, the details are far different. The setup is excellent, but the story falls down a bit when the two main characters meet – I just wanted the relationship to get the same attention to detail that Belle’s life did. On the whole, this a solid addition to the Once Upon a Time series. MS – ADVISABLE.
Dokey, Cameron Golden, 179 p. – When Rapunzel is born without hair, her mother rejects her and the local sorceress takes her into her home and heart. When Rapunzel turns 16, she and the sorceress Melisande must flee their home as people in the countryside become suspicious of magic users. And the pair flees with the help of friends to the sorceress’ old home, which is now a magical tower where the Melisande’s daughter has been imprisoned for many years. Rapunzel is their only hope for breaking the spell and freeing the maiden. Another well done retold fairy tale. I just love this entire series! MS-ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dokey, Cameron Sunlight and Shadow, 184 p. – Mina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night and Lord Sarastro, Lord of the Day has been raised by her mother. The night before she is supposed to go to live with her father, he arrives by surprise and takes her away by force in order to bend her will to his and compel her to marry the man of his choice. Mina has a mind of her own, however, and takes matters into her own hands, with a little help from a man with a magic flute. Based, of course, on the opera and extremely well done. MS, HS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Douglas, Erin Get that Pest! Illustrated by Herbert Lee Wong. Harcourt, 2008. PICTURE BOOK. This new bilingual version includes a Spanish translation on each page. When Mom and Pop Nash discover the theft of some of their ten hen’s eggs, they try various traps to catch the thief. The surprise ending sets up a fun game for readers. This book is suitable for emergent readers. EL – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Beverly Stout, Elementary Library Specialist.
Douglas, Lola More Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet, 217 p. Penguin – Morgan Carter, hollywod starlet. has been exposed to the tabloids and is now trying to keep her quiet life in Indiana under control. Her new boyfriend, Eli, doesn’t know how to handle the pressure though and sends Morgan on an emotional roller coaster. Unfortunately, Morgan, while pretty funny, also has a potty mouth and uses 3 dozen swear words, including “f”, which should keep this out of most Utah schools. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dower, Laura Rewind, 246 p. – Release: April 2006. Prom night and Cady sees Lucas, her long time crush, slap Hope, an old friend, violently across the face. As security drags him away, he mouths to her “you are the one”. Then the novel continues in a backwards fashion, back through the previous months to New Years Eve when Cady meets Lucas, supposedly to explain how everyone came to be at that spot. After about 30 pages, I gave up and read the book backwards – so that I could read the story in chronological order. Though you get a good look at Hope immediately snagging Lucas for herself after she sees him flirting with Cady and keeping him her wildness and sex, the final (June) scene just leaves me mystified. Just like things between Lucas and Hope fall apart, the narrative falls apart too. And that first scene leaves too many questions that are by no means answered in the rest of the book. Allusions to sex the sex scenes are tastefully done, but that doesn’t make up for the weaknesses of the book. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
Downer, Ann The Dragon of Never-Was, 320 p. Simon Schuster – Theodora would prefer to forget the events of last summer, but her burgeoning magic doesn’t give her a chance. This time she and her father are summoned to England to examine something that looks like a dragon scale. She must solve a mystery from the past and from another dimension in order to save herself and her friends. Fans of Hatching Magic will enjoy this. If you have a large fantasy collection then feel free to add the series. EL, MS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Doyle, Brian Pure Spring, 168 p. Groundwood Books – Language:PG13; Sexual Content:PG13; Violence:PG – Martin lives a honest life with Grampa Rip, but when he gets a new job things take a turn for the worst. Martin is forced to cheat people out of their hard earned money when his co-worker; Randy uses blackmail against him. Martin falls in lobe with Gerry McDowell, whose grandfather is being robbed by Randy. Martin decides to make a plan to help Randy’s victims. This book is a good old-fashion love story with some important need-to-know morals. And the time period adds a nice touch. EL, MS – ADVISABLE Student Reviewer,TT
Doyle, Roddy Her Mother’s Face, illustrated by Freya Blackwood. Arthur A. Levine (Scholastic), November 2008. A young girl’s mother died when she was three and now, at ten, she can’t remember her mother’s face. A stranger ne day, tells the girl to look in the mirror and see her mother’s features reflected in her own face and this exercise comforts her as she matures, with a daughter of her own. A gentle book about grief and memory, with a powerful message included about how the girl’s father deals with his own grief through the years. Children or adults who have experienced lost of a loved one can find wisdom in its pages. EL – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library-Teacher.
Doyle, Roddy Wilderness, 224 p. Scholastic, 2007. Johnny, Tom and their mother are headed off on an adventure trip, sled-dogging through the Great White North, in order to be out of the way when their half-sister’s mother comes for her visit in more than ten years. Artic weather also means arctic danger, while at home, emotional danger lurks. I would have loved this book if the sister’s story had been deleted and the boys’ story was expanded. The focus was all over the place, so each part was weak. MS – OPTIONAL
Drake, Salamanda Dragonsdale, 270 pages Scholastic – Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: G – Dragonsdale is a dragon farm just like many others, full of dragons and their riders that hunt, protect, or just show off in the various competitions between the farms. But in Dragonsdlae, there is one dragon that has been untrainable, named Skydancer, and she feels that the reason Skydancer remains untrainable is because he wants Cara to be his rider. But Cara’s father will never allow Cara to ride a dragon after a riding accident that killed Cara’s mother. Then Hortense, a cruel girl with an important father, wants Skydancer so she can compete in a tough competition, but Cara will do anything to save her special dragon from a sad fate with Hortense. She finally makes the brave decision to learn how to ride Skydancer herself, no matter what her father says, so she can live up to her mother’s legacy and save Skydancer. This book was sweet and easy to enjoy. It’s main flaw is the fact that it is so utterly predictable, with an overused plot. The characters also have little depth or do anything surprising. The dragons, which should be bringing a fantasy element to the story, did little for it. They could have just as easily been replaced with horses or other competition animals, and the story would hardly be changed. Even so, I feel that the book could still be enjoyed by many, and would attract people, particularly girls who are looking for an animal fiction book, and maybe a decent fantasy that has dragons in a positive light, and happily-ever-afters. EL- OPTIONAL; Student Reviewer: KR
Draper, Sharon Battle of Jericho – Though I think the situation is a little improbable for most high schools, this is a great story of a high school “service club” initiation gone overboard, as the rituals of past years get distorted into something less than innocent. ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Draper, Sharon Copper Sun, 302 p. – On the eve of her wedding day, Amari and other village members are taken as slaves and shipped to the New World. Remaned Myna, she is at the mercy of her owner’s son. A horrible act of brutality spurs her and a couple of others to make the desperate flight for freedom – into the deep South. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. MS, HS-ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Draper, Sharon M. Fire from the Rock, 229 p. Dutton (Penguin), 2007. Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957. Sylvia is excited for high school next year, but her world changes when she is asked to be considered as one of the first black students to help integrate Little Rock High School. From a field of hundreds, Sylvia survives the cuts, throughout all of the hatred and the confusion and soul-searching, until the day she must finally decided whether she is ready to be a part of something so big. Most books about the integration of LRHS focuses on the Little Rock Nine and all that happened to them after integration. Now we see a glimpse of the before – the turmoil surrounding the choice – adding essential information to the body of work. MS – ESSENTIAL
Draper, Sharon M. November Blues, 316 p. Atheneum (Simon), 2007. November’s boyfriend, Josh, is dead, but she will never forget him – especially now as she struggles to tell her mother how their first and only sexual encounter left behind a growing baby. As her body gets bigger and bigger, so do her problems and anxieties. Help from Jericho, Josh’s best friend, Olivia, a girl November has never really noticed before, make things just a little easier. The sex is related without sensationalism, and so are November’s visits to her doctor. Frank and honest and enjoyable. MS, HS – ADVISABLE
Drescher, Henrik McFig and McFly: A Tale of Jealousy, Revenge and Death (Until the Happy Ending). Candlewick, 2008. PICTURE BOOK. McFig and McFly are good neighbors until they start playing house-building one-upmanship. Then their days are fileed with jealousy and revenge, until the day they die. Meanwhile, McFly’s son and McFig’s daughter have fallen in love and without the angry old men, they marry and build a happy family with both houses. While the tale’s characters may seem a bit extreme, the story of the costs of “keeping up with Joneses” is appropriate for students at every level. EL – ESSENTIAL, MS – ADVISABLE
Dreyer, Ann After Elaine – Being a teenager is hard enough, but Gina’s sister has died in a drunk driving accident and the kids at school are not very sympathetic. ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dreyer, Ellen The Glow Stone, 181 p. Peachtree – Phoebe’s fascination with rocks has always been fueled by her wonderful uncle Brandon who also gave her a gorgeous desk with many drawers and cubbies to store them in. Now Brandon is dead and Phoebe’s mother is insisting that Phoebe sell the desk, to clear the house of Brandon’s memory. Even at Grandma it seems as though everyone is trying to for get that Brandon ever existed. While spelunking with her aunt, Phoebe finds herself in a life-threatening situation, and may uncover a terrible secret about her family. MS-OPTIONAL
Duane, Diane Wizard’s Holiday – If you already have Duane’s “So you Want to Be a Wizard” sereis, you will need the next installment. Nia goes off to another planet on a two week student exchange. MS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Duane, Diane Wizards at War, 581 p. – Release: October 2005. All of the characters in the previous seven books in the series must each play their part as the Lone One, the great evil of the universes, unleashes a plan long in fermentation to wipe all life from every planet in every solar system. It was surprising how well together the disparate personalities of the various books work each their separate part in saving everything. I don’t know if this is actually the last book in the series, but it certainly is a very good addition. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Duble, Kathleen Bridging Beyond – Anna’s best friend died in a drunk driving accident that Anna knows she caused. And now her beloved Grandmother Mimi has died. After moving to Mimi’s house, Anna finds herself reliving a terrible accident involving a narrow bridge and a train; she realizes that she is seeing the world through Mimi’s eyes. I am so sorry I missed this book in 2002! Even though the psychology is a little strange, it reads better than Eve Bunting’s The Presence, which has a very similar theme. ESSENTIAL
Duble, Kathleen Benner Hearts of Iron, 244 p. Simon Schuster – Jesse and Lucy have lived their lives on the mountain. Jesse is itching to find a different, a better life; Lucy would be content to stay, but her father has bigger plans for her future. Both teens will have to take big risks and examine their hearts in order to find their place in the world. Set in the early 18800’s this sweet book is about a difficult and very different life. It will need help finding an audience, but will work weel in a large historical fiction collection. MS-OPTIONAL
Duble, Kathleen Bridging Beyond – Anna’s best friend died in a drunk driving accident that Anna knows she caused. And now her beloved Grandmother Mimi has died. After moving to Mimi’s house, Anna finds herself reliving a terrible accident involving a narrow bridge and a train; she realizes that she is seeing the world through Mimi’s eyes. I am so sorry I missed this book in 2002! Even though the psychology is a little strange, it reads better than Eve Bunting’s The Presence, which has a very similar theme. ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Duble, Kathleen The Sacrifice, 209 p. – Abigail’s family struggles to hold their heads high in their Puritan community, even when Abigail’s father has his fits that only her mother can soothe. When the people of nearby Salem village start accusing witches, even quiet Andover is not left unaffected. And the fingers point straight at Abigail and her sister. Only by adhering to their loving mother’s bold plan do they have a hope of staying alive. I especially was interested in descriptions of prison life at the time period. Other than that it doesn’t add much to the body of work on the Salem Witch trials. What is cool is the afterword where the author tells you that these people are her personal ancestors. In that light, this is one of the best written pieces of that type. EL, MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Duey, Kathleen Skin Hunger, 357 p. Atheneum (Simon), 2007. Hahp, the second son of a wealthy merchant is turned over to an exclusive group to be trained as a wizard. His roommate is from a lower class, while all the others are from wealthy families. All of the boys are forced to learn what they must or starve to death, surrounded by a system that is brutal, cold and forces them to work against each other. Sadima’s family was beggared by a false magician who killed their mother in child birth and stole all of their precious possessions. Then she discovers that she truly does have magic and joins with two others who are trying to bring true magic back to the world. Sadima’s world is many years earlier than Hahp’s, but the two times are very connected. Even though my review makes this book sound kind of interesting, I was actually appalled by the brutality of Hahp’s situation and I really didn’t like the reading at all. I want to withhold final judgment until book two in the series is released, because this title is a lot of setup and not a stand alone book at all. I wish the contents were half as awesome as the cover art! MS – OPTIONAL
Dunbar, Wylene My Life with Corpses – Don’t let the eye-catching title fool you. This title is about a self-indulgent young woman whi is certain that the people in her life must already be dead, because they don’t seem to lead the kind of exciting life that she seems to need. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dunkle, Clare Close Kin, 216 p. – Emily has lived underground with the goblins for many years now. When her childhood friend Seylin proposes marriage to her, she thinks it is s joke and brushes him off. Nursing a broken heart, Seylin leaves the goblin kingdom to hunt down elves, a race which he feels akin to. Emily, when she finds out that Seylin is gone, leaves on her own quest to find him. As intriguing as the first book of the Hollow Kingdom series. MS, HS – ADVISABLE
Dunkle, Clare B. In the Coils of the Snake, 231 p. – Release: October 2005. Third in the Hollow Kingdom series. Marak, the King of the Goblins, has died, but in his last years he trained up a bride, Miranda, for his successor, Catspaw. When an elf lord approaches Catspaw with a deal that he can’t refuse, Miranda finds herself with no future. Instead she becomes a hostage of the elf lord and then a catalyst for a final battle between the two kingdoms. Unless someone can figure out the truth behind this puzzle the elves will be destroyed forever. I have read so much fantasy that I just love a great book that shows elves in a different light. You could even call yourself a goblin fan after reading Ms. Dunkle’s books. All three titles in the series are well worth having. MS-ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dunkle, Clare B. The Hollow Kingdom – Kate is being haunted by Marak, the king of the goblins, who wants her for his bride. I am SOOO sorry I didn’t read this one sooner. Very well written and well paced. One that is hard to put down. MS-ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dunkle, Clare By These Ten Bones, 229 p. – Maddie is drawn to a itinerant carver who comes to her small Scottish village. Although he is usually silent, he breaks that silence for Maddie. When Paul is mauled by a wild animal, Maddie’s family nurses him back to health. Then the man that has traveled with Paul takes Maddie into his confidence and Maddie discovers the terrible secret that the two men have been hiding for so long. And because of her love for Paul, she finds that she must make a desperate choice – his life or hers. A great book that will suck most students in. The picture on the cover is mysterious enough that it will catch many eyes. Whether they like historic fiction or the supernatural, they will be happy with the experience. MS, HS – ASVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Dunkle, Clare Close Kin, 216 p. – Emily has lived underground with the goblins for many years now. When her childhood friend Seylin proposes marriage to her, she thinks it is s joke and brushes him off. Nursing a broken heart, Seylin leaves the goblin kingdom to hunt down elves, a race which he feels akin to. Emily, when she finds out that Seylin is gone, leaves on her own quest to find him. As intriguing as the first book of the Hollow Kingdom series. MS, HS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
DuPrau, Jeanne Car Trouble, 274 p. – Duff Pringle is off on a cross country journey to delver himself to a new high tech job in California. Three miles into his trip his car dies. Desperate to get himself there, he takes on the job of delivering a car for someone else. He picks up a hitchhiker, a girl wanting to become a star and two thugs who think there is cash in the car. Along the way Duff explores alternative energy and an alternative state of mind. Quite a departure from The City of Ember books. It reads like a Joan Bauer novel. I didn’t fall in love with it, but it is certainly all right. MS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
DuPrau, Jeanne City of Ember – The people of Ember live underground, though they don’t know it. Things are starting to go very wrong in the city, with shortages and power outages, and only two young people have enough courage to look for answers. ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
DuQuette, Keith Little Monkey Lost PICTURE BOOK Penguin – Little monkey takes off through the trees and meets several other kinds of monkeys as he tries to find his way home. Best use for this title would be in the elementary school as a kick off to a jungle unit or such. There is not enough interest or information to use it in the secondary school. EL – OPTIONAL
Durbin, William Backwater Ben 197 p. – This year Ben is going into the great Minnesota forest to help his dad cook at the nearby logging camp. The work is much different and much harder than Ben expected. He learns a lot about the men who choose logging as a way to make a living. And finally he is able to break through his father’s silence about his mother who died when Ben was a baby. I liked how different the floavor of this story is from other fiction that I have read about logging and logging camps. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Durbin, William The Darkest Evening, 232 p. – Jake’s family moves to Karelia, a Finnish settlement in the heart of the Soviet Union to start a new life. Unfortunately, they have put themselves at the mercy of the Soviet government, a government intent on tightening its control of its citizens. And unfortunately for this book, the first 130 pages are pretty boring and won’t hold a student’s attention long enough to keep reading the book unless they have a personal reason for reading it. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
Duval, A. Legacy, 223 p., 2007. Jason knows about the vampires that are living in DeVere Heights, and one of them is his girlfriend named Sienna. Sienna’s parents are completely opposed to the idea of her being with a human. During this predicament Jason’s Aunt Bianca implores Jason to transform into a vampire making him eligible to be her heir and obtain all of her wealth. I loved this series and how everything fit together from one book to the next, but I don’t agree with some of the plots. If there were some more events that put you on suspense, then the series would be a whole lot better. It seemed like the the major action for the first three books began and ended in a single chapter that was close to the end of the book. EL -OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer: JH
Duval, Alex Vampire Beach: Bloodlust AND Initiation, @185 p. Simon and Schuster – Jason and his family move the swankiest part of Malibu, the gated community of DeVere Heights. What he doesn’t know is that his aunt had to pull some strings, because they are the only family behind the gates who aren’t also vampires. With his friend Adam, he discovers the secret and then has to decide what to do with the information. Good, clean vampire fun. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Duval, Alex Vampire Beach: Ritual, 199 p. Simon and Schuster – Language: PG, Sexual Content: PG (Some suggestive material), Violence: PG – FYI: This is the third book in the Vampire Beach series. It is possible to read without the others, but it is advisable to read the first two to fully understand the characters. Jason is a normal guy high school student at DeVere High…Well…except that his best friends are vampires, as well as the girl he’s completely in love with. There also might be the matter of getting targeted by a lunatic with a crossbow that tried to murder him…Anyway, this was an interesting book, that will definitely be a disappointment to vampire lovers/addicts. The plot was interesting and made you want to know what happened; However, there was little to no vampire action. It seemed much more like a teenage soap opera with vampires tossed in there. MS, HS – OPTIONAL; Student Reviewer: KH
Kiss the Book 