Gaetz, Dayle Campbell Spoiled Rotten, 103 p. – Jessica can’t stand her new step mother, but she especially hates her new younger step sister Amy. Instead her yearly wilderness hike with her father, Jess is stuck on a smelly power boat in cramped quarters. When she tries to escape for a day hike alone, the brat follows along and Jessica ends up having to save Amy’s life. Great for younger readers; not really anything older readers will get into. EL, MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gabel, Claudia In or Out, 254 p. Scholastic – Marnie and Nola have been best friends forever, but the very first day of high school changes everything. With not a single class and not even the same lunch time, the girls seem to be on their own. While Nola finds a boy that seems to think she is pretty cute, Marnie has a chance to join the ‘queen bees’ and quickly decides that Nola is really cramping her style. In a week, the girls go from tight to total strangers. It will be interesting to see which character girls sympathize with. I have my favorite picked. Another dead-on look at the complicated world of teenaged relationships and popularity. MS-ESSENTIAL
Galvalda, Anna 95 lbs of Hope – Gregory hates school and is finally expelled and won’t be accepted into any other public schools. A short book (90 p.), translated from the original French, it is charming enough to keep my attention. Plus, it will probably ring true with kids who are square pegs in the learning game. ADVISABLE MS. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gandolfi, Silvana Aldabra: or the Tortoise who Loved Shakespeare, 151 p. – Elisa’s mother and grandmother never speak to each other and never like to hear about each other. Once Elisa discovers the answer to that tension, she becomes more worried about her grandmother, because she seems to slowly be changing shape. YAWN. Don’t waste your time. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gantos, Jack The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs, 185 p. – Ivy is the daughter of a single mother in a small town. After school she is watched by a set of identical twins – old men who quietly go about running their pharmacy, while indulging Ivy. Then one day Ivy sees something in the store’s basement which spooks her. Okay, why am I trying to explain the plot of this book in a nice way. It really is a freaky story about two sons with a talent for taxidermy, who have an Oedipal complex and then preserve their mother’s body after she dies. Ivy is the daughter of one of the men, but not even her mother knows which one. Ivy seems to have inherited the Oedipal curse and hones her own taxidermy skills against the day that her mother passes away. A perfunctory sex scene just adds to the fact that I can wholeheartedly tell you to stay far away from this title. Analyzing my feelings for this book, I predict that it will be a strong contender for next year’s Printz Award. NO! Cindy, Library Teacher
Garcia, Laura Gallego The Valley of the Wolves, 247 p. – Release: April 2006 At a young age, Dana is taken from her family to live in a lonely tower and learn magic. Her only true companion is Kai, a wonderful friend whom no one else can see. As she approaches the time of her final trial, she is also haunted by a ghost who implores her to seek the unicorn. Dana and Kai must solve the mystery and keep themselves alive – through a forest filled with savage wolves – in order to solve the mystery. Students will probably pick the book up for the title, and they will not be disappointed. Garcia’s story has been translated well and it is an excellent fantasy title. EL, MS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Garden, Nancy Endgame, 304 p. Harcourt – Gray Walton is being interviewed by a lawyer who is trying to prepare a defense for the young man who was captured after a shooting spree at his school. Probably the best of the post-Columbine fiction that I have read. Minimal swear words, but 1 “f”. MS-OPTIONAL, HS-ADVSIABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gardner, Graham Inventing Elliot, 181 p. – At his old school, Elliot was one of the tormented souls, picked on and humiliated every day. At his new he is trying his best to remain unnoticed and not a target, but instead, he gets the attention of The Guardians, the secret group of students who actually rule the school – and they want him to join them. This book is so disturbing and so fascinating, that I hated reading it and couldn’t put it down. So much better than Project X and more on par with Shooter, set in England’s world of prep schools. Spooky. MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gardner, Sally The Strongest Girl in the World (92 p.) and The Invisible Boy (105 p.) Dial (Penguin) – Josie finds out that she has the ability to be strong. Everyone is shocked. Her family tries to hide it but it becomes to obvious when she saves people from a runaway van. She becomes famous and moves to America and becomes famous. She gets everything she wants. But then she feels her powers vanishing. Sam’s parents win a trip to the new moon resort, but he can’t go. When the old neighbor, Hilda Hardbottom, comes and offers to babysit they can’t refuse the offer. After a week of their departure they find out that the shuttle is missing. Hilda gets greedy; she wants to steal Sam’s insurance money. But a little green alien. helps Sam foil the plot. This book is very childish. I would read this book to my younger siblings. There were many pictures, the way things were written, everything was meant for younger kids. EL – OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer: KC
Garfinkle, D.L. Stuck in the 70’s, 182 p. Putnam, 2007. One minute Shay is laying naked in a hot guys bathtub with her Hispanic housekeeper yelling at her to get dressed. The next minute she wakes up, still naked, by the guy hovering over her is a throwback to the 70’s and totally not hot at all. AS the picture becomes clearer, Shay finds out that actually has been thrown back to the 70’s. And they only way Tyler, the not hot guy, will help her is if she helps him become popular. Well, I lived through the 70’s and the large amount of swearing and sex talk was not a part of my experience. Shay’s transformation is cheapened by the shallowness of the writing. NO
Garretson, Jerri The Secret of Whispering Springs – Cassie’s family has bought an old house in the middle of nowhere. As her family gets ready to move in, Cassie is not only confronted by a ghost, but she is threatened by a person who wants Cassie to find a treasure for him-otherwise he will hurt her family. A good mystery and ghost story. MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gates, Susan Dusk, 170 p. Dusk was genetically created in a military laboratory. When she escaped, she was trapped in a fortified ghost town with genetically enhanced rats and wolves. Then one day, Jay, the son of the only man who was kind to Dusk, gets trapped also, precipitating a territorial fight. Another good creepy novel. If you have Cirque du Freak, this will fit right in. MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gates, Susan Beyond the Billboard, 224 p. Harcourt – Though Firebird and her family live very close to the big city, no one visits their swamp home, because of the huge billboard that protects their very existence. Firebird has always felt a bit restless, and a chance encounter in the swamp sends her looking for answers to questions she didn’t even know she had. And very quickly the entire fabric of lies that her life has been built on comes unraveled. A nice, tight little book that will resonate with students who feel trapped in their very lives. It reads just as well as a mystery as it does as a bildungsroman. MS – ADVISABLE
Geisel, Theodor Seuss Seuss-ism for Success,25 pgs. Random House Inc., 2009. Language-G, Sexual Content-G; Violence-G; This books is a group of parts of Doctor Seuss’s books. They are all about tips for the future (jobs mostly). I is put into groups about thing such as higher education. This is a cute book. It has a lot of useful stuff in it, as well. This is a fun book and a very quick read. I would highly recommend it. EL, -ESSENTIAL. Student Reviewer: MB
George, Jean Craighead The Wolves are Back , paintings by Wendell Minor. Dutton (Penguin), 2008. How ironic that this beautiful book celebrating the return of wolves to Yellowstone was published at almost the same time that wolf hunting was reintroduced in Wyoming. Ms. George’s text celebrated the place of the wolf in the Yellowstone ecosystem, perfectly complimented by Mr. Minor’s illustrations. Any level of schooling that involves endangered species, life cycles and ecosystems can use this excellent picture book. EL, MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library-Teacher.
Geras, Adele Egerton Hall trilogy: The Tower Room, Watching the Roses, Pictures of the Night – a series set in the 1960’s (I can’t figure out WHY) that tries to base itself on fairy tales. They are printed in paperback, so if need some more books, go for it. MS, HS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Geras, Adele Pictures of the Night, 184 p. – Bella, the beauty of the trio, runs off to Paris with a rock band of seven musicians to escape her evil stepmother. Three times Bella almost dies – once eating an apple, once with a beautiful belt she bought off a peddler woman and once when she is stabbed with a poisoned mantilla comb. One night as she is performing she sees her one true love only to be separated from him after only a few minutes. When she returns to England, she has to confront her stepmother in order to gain control of her life. This was my favorite of the trio, but it does talk about Bella sleeping with one of musicians and I didn’t think the final confrontation with her stepmother was dramatic enough. Maybe it was too much to hope that Bella would kill her, but a shouting match didn’t do the scene justice. OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Geras, Adele Watching the Roses, 178 p. – On her 18th birthday, something terrible happened to “princess” Alice and now she spends her days in a coma-like state, letting no one know she is conscious of her surroundings. Not until the love of her life kisses her does she break out of her self-induced trance. Alice is the weakest of the three, since Alice has no spine and always has to be rescued by someone else. It really irritated me. HS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gerber, Linda Death by Bikini, 223. Speak. Language-G; Sexual Content-G; Violence-PG; A 16-year-old girl, Aphra Behn Connolly, investigates why her father let a strange family stay at their tropical island resort, who strangled a girl with her own bikini strings, and what a teenage guest is hiding. I really liked this book and had an extremely fun time reading it. It was thrilling, entertaining, and I couldn’t put it down. It always had me guessing and was a totally surprising, but realistic, ending. M.S., H.S.- ADVISABLE. Student Reviewer- AR
Gerber, Linda Death By Latte. 201 p. Speak Language- PG; Sexual Content- G; Violence- PG. Aphra’s life got flipped upside down when she travels to Seattle to find her mom, who she hasn’t seen if a few years. Aphra finds her mom with this strange guy running a pottery shop. She gets taken to her moms apartment and gets stuck in a room far from her mom. She sneaks out the window and goes on to the roof with a guy named Ryan. Ryan and Aphra talk for a while before Aphra goes back inside. They go back to the pottery shop. There they find Seth. Aphra and her mom are both surprised to see him. All Seth says is that he needs the ring that he gave Aphra last year. He finally tells her why. They escape to Ryan’s plane after the guy trying to kill them all gets close to doing it. The crash land on a mountain, but Stuart still can’t walk and Ryan has broken limbs. They leave Ryan not knowing if they will survive. I liked this book. It was intense and pretty cool. I thought it had good detail. MS – OPTIONAL Student Reviewer- SH
Gerber, Linda The Finnish Line, 205 p. Penguin, 2007. Maureen Clark has left her Park City stomping grounds for a trip to the ski-jumping mecca of Finland – not only to perfect her skills, but to get out from under her famous skiing family’s shadows. Between classes and flirting, she’s not so sure she is going to succeed in her dream to be one of the first female ski jumpers in the Olympics, but she sure is going to try. Meanwhile, the daughter of her host family seems to have a grudge, and the cute boy who wants to help seems to have a hidden agenda. A bit complicated, but a pretty cute romance. Now I have to go back and check all of the rest of the books in the series!MS – ADVISABLE
Ghinga, Charles Snow Wonder (Step into Reading 2), 24 p. Random House, 2008. Though Ghinga’s book is meant as a beginning reader, it could have easily been a regular sized picture book too. Follow a girl and a boy as they explore the treasures and excitement in a winter wonderland. I think that this book does what Rylant’s Snow tried to do. I don’t know what a school does about the stickers inside, but remove and put the book on the shelf for your early readers! K-2 – ADVISABLE. Reviewer – Cindy, Library-Teacher
Giblin, James Cross The Boy who Saved Cleveland, 64 p. – When Cleveland was just a small settlement of three families, a malaria epidemic struck every settler and it was up to Seth, a young boy, to keep the families alive long enough to recover, until he too succumbed to the illness. Though this book will probably be well received in the state of Ohio, it will fare better in other states as a read-aloud by the teacher as another illustration of the hardships faced by early settlers of the “west”. EL-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gideon, Melanie The Map that Breathed – Nora and Billy are caught up in saving two different worlds from the predatory Provisioner. It is a complicated plot that is written well enough for most middle school students to enjoy. Not great fantasy, but ok fantasy. OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Giff, Patricia Reilly A House of Tailors 145 p. – Dina is sent to America to live with her uncle and she is happy to leave the endless hours of sewing she did with her mother in her native Germany. She finds when she arrives that her uncle is also a tailor and he expects her to help. Dina makes mistakes along the way to finding her own dreams, but after a disaster hits the family she is able to help all of them make small steps to a better life. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Giles, Gail – Dead Girls Don’t Write Letters – Sunny has received a letter from her sister Jazz, who died in a fire months ago, saying that she is arriving the next day. MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gilman, Laura Ann The Camelot Spell 292 p. HarperCollins – Language G, Sexual Content G, Violence PG. Gerald, a 14 year old squire; Newt, a simple stable boy; and Ailis, a young maid servant for the Queen, take on a terrifying quest. With the aid of only an enchanted map, a dagger , and one sword, they start their journey. A great tale of saving a king and all of his knights, of battling dragons, and even hand to hand combat with the king’s evil half sister Morgain. This book was not some confusing fantasy book with weird lingo, but an easy to read tale of a classic. I loved reading this book. It was fun and easy. ES, MS, ADVISABLE Student Reviewer: AB
Gilmour, H.B. & Randi Reisfeld T*witches, 308, Scholastic, Language, Violence, Sexual content all G, Review: Two twins were born with magical powers but were separated at birth. Nothing could keep them apart from each other. They soon discovered each other when Camryn went on a trip to where Alexandra was working(at a theme park). They helped fix a ferace wheel together with their powers. Soon after that both of their worlds began to turn completely upside down. Personally I thought that it was just an ok novel. I really didn’t care if i finished it or not. EL – OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer: AA
Glaser, Linda Bridge to America, 183 p. – Fivel’s father left years earlier for America and his family is just barely making ends meet, waiting for Father to send for them. The kindly village butcher keeps them from starving and the help of neighbors saves them from Russian Cossacks during a pogrom. When the promised money finally arrives, the family start on the road to becoming Americans. An excellently written narrative based on the true life of a Polish immigrant. The book flows smoothly and contains the right details to keep up the reader’s interest. EL, MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Glass, Linzi The Year the Gypsies Came 256 pages Henry Holt – This book is about a girl by the name of Emily Iris who has parents who fight a lot. However, when they have guests they don’t fight. When they have guests come over things start to change. I did not like this book it was boring and I could not get into it. HS – NO Student Reviewer: RV
Glatshteyn, Yankev Emil and Karl 194 p. Roaring Brook (Holtzbrinck) – Emil and Karl are best friends in the city of Vienna at the start of World War II. Through horrible circumstances, both young boys are left orphaned and without family to take them in. Their little eyes see many of the cruel atrocities carried out in the name of Christianity upon the bodies of Austria’s Jews. This amazing thing about this book is that it was written in 1940, in Yiddish, so that the Jewish children of America could know what was really going on in Europe. I am amazed that it hadn’t surfaced in English before now. MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Glenn, Sharlee Just What Mama Needs, illustrated by Amiko Hirao. PICTURE BOOK. Harcourt, Inc., 2008. Abby takes on multiple personas by dressing in a variety of costumes, each one filling a useful role in the process of cleaning the house. Pre and EL – OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Beverly Stout, Elementary Library Specialist.
Going, K.L. The Garden of Eve, 234 p. Harcourt, 2007. Evie’s father has moved her to an unfamiliar town, in order to attempt to rescue a withering apple orchard, leaving behind her mother’s grave. Locals are sure the orchard is haunted by the ghost of a girl they believe was murdered by her own brother. Evie, in her explorations, meets someone she thinks just might be the ghost of a young boy whose funeral was on the day the pair arrived to town. History and life are much more complicated than that, however, and Evie’s search for her mother’s spirit may tear her family and another family completely apart. Even though Evie is only ten, middle school students will also be able to identify with her grief and her desire for a perfect world. EL,MS – ADVISABLE
Going, K.L. The Liberation of Gabriel King, 150 p. – Fourth grade graduate Gabriel is afraid of almost everything, including the fifth grade. His best friend Frita, an African American, tries to help Gabriel conquer his fears in a small Southern town in 1976 America, where the Ku Klux Klan still wants to suppress voices of integration. Though this book is aimed at young adults, it read more to me for a younger audience. I certainly don’t see anything in it to keep it out of young hands. The angst of Gabriel as he confronts his fear is a good object lesson for children who also fear growing up even though they can’t avoid it. EL, MS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Golding, Theresa Secret Within – Carly escapes her abusive father by wandering the boardwalk at night. Through Eddie, the large newspaper man, Nick, a boy in her class, and Allison, a girl with her own secrets, Carly realizes she can take a stand. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Golds, Cassandra Clair de Lune, 197 p. – Clair dances beautifully and can not talk. With the help of a dancing, talking mouse, she finds a mysterious monastery within her own building with a dark man who might have the keys to Clair’s voice. And maybe Clair can dance the dance of a lifetime without giving up her life as her mother did. I have to say that the cutest part of this whole book is the mouse and his dreams of a mouse ballet corps. Had he been the focus, I might recommend this book more whole-heartedly. EL-PAPERBACK. Cindy, Library Teacher
Goobie, Beth Who Owns Kelly Paddik? AND Kicked Out – Two books in the Orca Soundings imprint for reluctant readers. Short, exciting books that are very up to date in message and language. MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Golf: The Best Instruction Guide Ever! Time, Inc. 2008. NON-FICTION. If you have golf fans in your school, they will want to read this book. Multiple color photos on every page illustrate a wide arrange of golf techniques and tips. If you have a golf lover in your family, this would be a perfect present. HS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library-Teacher.
Goodman, Allegra The Other Side of the Island, 280 pgs. Panguin Group. Language- G; Sexual Content- G; Violence- G; Honor, born in the 8th year of enclosure, is ten-years-old and lives with her parents in a highly controlled colony, but when they have an illegal second child and her parents are taken away, for being unpredictable, Honor and her friend Helix, another unpredictable, must find their parents, uncover a terrible secret, and bring down the corporation that runs everything. I thought this book was awesome. It was interesting and has so many good lessons of how being the same isn’t always a good thing. MS/HS-ESSENTIAL. Student Reviewer: AR
Gordon, Amy The Secret Life of a Boarding School Brat, 250 p. -n Lydia’s parents are divorced and they have sent Lydia away to the same boarding school that her grandmother attended. Lydia, unfortunately is immature and can’t settle into the boarding school life until she meets Howie, the school’s caretaker and night watchman on one of her late night rambles. Howie helps Lydia open up, by giving her a mystery to solve and a fascinating story to read. Definitely for younger readers. Even though, the main character is a seventh grader, she feels more like a fifth graders in her maturity. EL – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gormley, Beatrice Barack Obama: Our 44th President, 166 p. With prosy writing, lots of quotes and a eye to detail, Ms. Gormley sends us on a trip through Barack Obama’s road to the White House. Younger and middle readers who need to read about the man will find this an easy and very informative read. Buy this book right away for all of those President’s reports that students have to research. EL, MS – ESSENTIAL.
Goschke, Julia Langley Longears, PICTURE BOOK – Langley has much longer ears than any of his sibling dogs. So long, in fact, that he is often mistaken for a rabbit. When trouble strikes, however, it is Langley and his long ears that save the day. A cute picture book to talk about the differences that make us all unique and valuable. EL-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Graham, Rosemary My not so terrible time at the hippie hotel – Tracy and her divorced father are at a camp for quality parent-child time. Tracy might learn that she’s not so bad after all. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Grant,K.M How the Hangman lost his heart 244 pages Walker and Company Language-G Sexual Content-G Violence-PG This book is about a girl named Alice who’s Uncle Frank was hanged, disembalmed, and got his head chopped off. The King wanted to have it spiked so Alice stole his head to reunite it with his body. Dan Skinslicer, Uncle Frank’s hangman, helps her and they run away from a number of soldiers. Along the way, a soldier falls in love with Alice. A intriguing story involving a love tryangle, giant wigs, a man’s laundery, baby kittens, and (of course) lots of intense chases. Not for someone with a weak stomach. MS-HS ADVISABLE Student Reviewer:RH
Gratz, Alan Something Wicked, 265 p. Dial (Penguin), 2008. Language: R; Sexual Content: R, Violence: PG-13. Horatio Wilkes has found himself right in the middle of a modern-day Macbeth drama, when he joins his best friend Mac at the Scottish Highland Fair. Someone has committed murder and Horatio feels honor bound to find the perp, even if evidence points in a painful direction. What I didn’t like, however was the sexual innuendo from the very first paragraph and the swearing mouths of Horatio’s friends. I can live without Horatio Wilkes. NO.
Gray, Dianne Tomorrow, The River, 256 p. Houghton Mifflin – Desperate to escape the drudgery of working for her pregnant sisters this summer, Megan wrangles an invitation to live with her older sister on a houseboat along the Mississippi River. Only fourteen, she takes on a woman’s share of the work as the small family meets a cast of characters along the river, especially after Isaac re-injures his leg coming to Megan’s rescue. Megan doesn’t know it, but her travels are being chronicled in the small town papers along the route, leaving just enough clues for the handsome young man she met at the beginning of her journey to follow her. A charming look at life along the Mississippi at the end of the 19th century. If you have a teacher who does a historical fiction project, this would be a good addition. MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gray, Margaret The Ugly Princess and the Wise Fool – Princess Rose is the ugliest princess ever. Jasper is a wiseman masquerading as a fool. Against Jasper’s advice, Rose wishes to be the most beautiful princess in the world so that she can win the heart of a prince she has never met. ES-ADVISABLE, MS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Green, John Paper Towns, app. 320 p. Dutton (Penguin), Oct 2008. Quentin Jacobsne and Margo Roth Spiegelman haven’t been friends since they were nine. Then a few weeks before the end of their senior year, Margo drags Quentin along on an all-night spree of crime and vengeance (never breaking AND entering, but there is breaking and there is entering). The next day, however, Margo has disappeared. Quentin realizes that Margo has left behind clues and thinks that it is his job to track her down. He includes his best friends and their girlfriends, but the festivities and pressures of the end of high school create tension in the group. The clues are obscure and it isn’t until graduation day that they all come together. While Margo is definitely rebelling and Quentin and his parents all agree that Margo’s parents are not sterling examples of nurturers, I was left under-whelmed at her motives for the big-disappearing act. The meat of the book seems to be in the usefulness of blackmail to control bullies, the challenge and enigma involved in creating very obscure clues, the power of Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, and the silliness and challenges of a spur-of-the-moment road trip. This is also an homage to the male anatomy, geeks getting the girl and power, and the self-centeredness of teenagers. I kept wondering why Quentin cared if Margo disappeared, because she is neither interesting nor sympathetic – just obscure. And the plethora of swear words (more than 100, including “f”) which are there aplenty when Margo is around or the action is slow, but seem to disappear whenever the action gets rolling, make this an easy choice for schools to leave to the public libraries. HS – NO . Cindy, Library-Teacher.
Greene, Michele Dominguez, Chasing the Jaguar 240 p. Language G, Sexual Content G, Violence G – When Martika Galvez, a normal teenager, has her 13th birthday, she sees Tia Tellin. When she begins to have strange dreams, her mother takes her to her only close relative, Tia Tellin, the witch. Her dreams tell her of a girl who was kidnapped and needs help and Martika’s mother worked for the girl’s father as a maid. Martika must help find the girl and learn about her new powers. This was an interesting book. I’m not really into mystery books but this was a good one. MS – OPTIONAL Student Reviewer: KC
Greenwood, Barbara Factory Girl, 132 p. Kids Can Press – Emily is a little girl who must find work somewhere in order for her family to survive. The only place which will take her is a garment factory, where the boss’ word is law and missing a day for sickness can get you fired. When inspectors come, the under age children must hide and the conditions, even for the simple thread snippers, can be very dangerous. Each chapter begins with a part of Emily’s tale told as fiction and then ends with historical facts to support the story. If your library needs a non-fiction book on this topic, this would be a good source. Otherwise, I wish Emily’s tale were expanded and set on its own so that it could be marketed to fiction readers. EL, MS – OPTIONAL
Greenwood, Mark The Donkey of Gallipoli: A True Story of Courage during World War I, illustrated by Frane Lessac. Candlewick, 2008. PICTURE BOOK. A boy from the back streets of urban England becomes a hero during the battle of Gallipoli during World War I, giving his life, but keeping a promise to his old friend in the midst of danger and heartbreak. The war in North Africa is not as well covered in the history books as the war in Europe. This book is a good introduction to that fact and a good look at the differences between war then and modern warfare. Would also be a good introduction to using picture books in the high school classroom. MS – OPTIONAL, HS – ADVISABLE
Gregory, Kristiana Prairie River – In order to avoid marrying the local minister, Nessa runs away to the tiny prairie town of Prairie River and tries to become the new teacher. MS-ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gregory, Nan I’ll Sing You One-O 224 pages – Gemma is a girl that has been raised by foster parents all her life when out of the blue, social workers come and take her away to her aunt and uncle’s house to live with her twin brother she didn’t even know about. She tries to get the attention of an angel to help her get back to the foster home where all of the people she knows and love live. The author makes your heart ache because of all the things she does to get the attention of an angle. She ends cutting off her hair, stealing money and selling antique soldiers just to get help. In the end she learns to love her new home and accept why her mom gave her up. EL, MS – ESSENTIAL Student Reviewer: KD
Greif, Jean-Jacques The Fighter 288 p. Bloomsbury – In the 1930’s Moshe and his brothers made new lives for themselves in beautiful Paris, far from the squalor of Warsaw. With the arrival of WWII, however, Moshe is carted off to Auschwitz, where he finds the strength to not only survive, but to also do a small bit of good. Based on the true life memoir of a family friend, Greif writes a novel that will do well within a larger Holocaust collection, but is not a best purchase for smaller libraries. MS, HS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Grey, Christopher Leonardo’s Shadow, 391 p. Simon and Schuster – Language-G, Sexual Content-G, Violence-PG – Giacomo is a servant, but he’s no commonplace guy. He’s Leonardo da Vinci’s servant. He wants to now who hw is, because he can’t remember his past. Leonardo is painting The Last Supper for the Duke and Giacomo is worried that Leonardo will not finish on time. This was a good book; I eenjoyed it. It was NOT predictable. I think it would be a good book to put in the library. EL, MS,HS – ADVISABLE. Student Reviewer: SL
Griggs, Terry Invisible Ink, 257 Pages. Raincoast Books. Language – PG (O=1); Sexual Content – G; Violence – G; Olivier is just supposed to help out at a yard sale his step step step grandmother is throwing. But at this occasion he meets some strange characters that send him back to the Dark Woods once again to keep high levels of indifference from reigning. This story reminds me of a combination of Alice in Wonderland, The Last Unicorn, and Phantom Tollbooth rolled into one with a few extra twists thrown in. Although it was an interesting read, it could not be considered a commendable one. EL/MS – OPTIONAL Student Reviewer: KH
Grimes, Nikki The Road to Paris 153 p. Penguin – Eight-year old Paris has been separated from her brother and is on her own in a new foster home. The last one was a disaster and she is not holding out hopes for anything better here. Very slowly, she has to learn to trust again. Usually when you read a book about foster homes and foster children, you only hear about the bad places, the bad families and the bad children. In this book, however, Paris is trying very hard to be good and her family is trying very hard to make her feel welcome. It is so different from the norm that it at first feels like an oddball or a non sequitur, but maybe, instead, it gives a view to the experience that we hope all foster children have. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Grindley, Sally Spilled Water, 224 p. – When Lu Si-Yan’s father dies, her father considers her expendable and sells to some city folk as their son’s bride. At 11, she is treated as a slave of the household and the son, she discovers, is mentally challenged. With the help of the compassionate grandmother, she escapes and lands in a factory, working long hours for almost no pay. An excellent addition to your collection to show what life may be like in a different culture. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Grisham, John Bleachers – A good book about the lasting effects of a high school football coach. Also a very good book about the tenuousness of fame. MS, HS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Grove, Vicki Rhiannon, 352 p. Penguin, Oct 2007. Rhiannon lives with her mother and grandmother at the top of a steep, winding path that ends at a seaside cliff. They take care of the injured and unwanted from the villages around them. One of their charges is accused of murder and another is in a coma. With the help of a local priest, Rhiannon is determined to follow all of the mysteries and surrounding their little group. While the setting may be considered medieval, the mystery takes center stage. It will be struggle to get this into the right hands. MS – OPTIONAL
Grover, Lorie Ann Hold Me Tight, 339 p. – Essie’s dad walks out on the family the day after Thanksgiving. Then at school, she finds out that the boy who sits in front of her was abducted a couple of days before Thanksgiving. Then a family friend who helps Essise, her mother and her little brother tries to do something to Essie that shocks her even more. Even though the book is written in my least favorite form (free verse), I still dove right in and enjoyed it thoroughly. Essie is only in elementary school, but middles school students will want to read this book. Because of the incident with Mr. Paul, only older EL should read it. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gruber, Michael The Witch’s Boy, 377 p. – One day the witch finds a baby boy on her doorstep. With the help of a bear and a genie, she tries to raise him and do her important work in the world. The boy’s greediness and petulance causes the witch’s powers to be stripped from her by the elves. With the help of cat transformed into a man and an old entertainer, the two try to make a living in the city, but the boy’s actions force the witch to again run for her life. There are some charming things about this book. I especially like the short retellings of various fairy tales with their very different points of view. But, the main character, Lump is so annoying and so petulant and so unwilling to take responsibility for any of his actions, that I was really just annoyed more than anything. His change of heart comes so late in the book and the results for him personally are just so good after all the trouble that he caused, that I couldn’t believe it. MS-OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Grunwell, Jeanne Marie Mind Games – The six Clearview Middle School students who end up with Science as their mandatory club class, decide to enter a Science Fair competition with research on ESP. Boring. NO. Cindy, Library Teacher
Guarente, G.P. Hook, Line and Sinker, 198 p. – The tank in Fiona’s bedroom is filled with tropical fish, each one representing an “ex”. Of course some of the boys don’t even know that Fee thought they boyfriend status. Then a childhood friend returns to town and Fiona thinks she may have found “the one”. Ty even talks her into auditioning for the lead in a community production of Grease – and then she finds out that he already has a girlfriend – the despised Carla aka “Nutrasweet.” Absolutely adorable book about the fickleness of a girl’s mind and a refreshing change from books that insist that you can only fall in live once. MS-ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
Guest, Elissa Haden and Christine Davanier Iris and Walter and the Birthday Party,44 p. Harcourt, 2006. This book is a chapter book for emerging readers. It is a story about Walter’s birthday. Walter invites a crowd to his birthday. They plan to ride Walter’s horse, Rain, at the party. They prepare for the day by making a necklace for Rain to wear. Finally the day comes, but nobody can ride Rain. She has foaled. The new pony shares Walter’s birthday. He decides to name her surprise. This is a simple little book with simple illustrations, with nothing especially noteworthy to set it apart. EL (1-3) – OPTIONAL. REVIEWER: SH
Gutman, Dan Getting Air, 232 p. Simon and Schuster, 2007. Four thirteen-year-old skateboarders, a younger sister, a flight attendant and an old lady are the only survivor’s of a major plane crash, after a failed hijacking attempt. Now they must survive in the wilderness of Canada until rescue arrives. Coincidentally, the younger sister is a fan of nature shows and books, so she has the skills to help them. A bit of danger, much sadness, a misunderstanding, but the whole book is pretty easy to read, dare I say ‘fuffy’? Perfectly harmless and fun all around for the younger crowd. I wish it were in paperback, though. EL, MS – ESSENTIAL
Gutman, Dan The Million Dollar Goal 167 p. – Twins Dawn and Dusk are astounded when their ancient grandmother is chosen to take a million dollar goal shot at a hockey game. They only have a couple of months to prepare her for the shot and she isn’t exactly sweet grandmother material in the first place. The media spotlight, grandma’s foul mouth and too many strangers make the practice time a big headache for everybody. Another fun Million Dollar … book. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gutman, Dan The Million Dollar Kick 202 p. – Whisper hates soccer. When her little sister uses Whisper’s name on an entry for the chance to win $1,000,000 by kicking a goal past a professional player, Whisper needs to quickly learn how to kick. With a lot of help from Jess, boy genius and a high school soccer goalie, Whisper may actually have a chance. Great stuff. Much fun to read. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gutman, Dan The Million Dollar Shot 114 p. – If he can make one free throw shot, Eddie Ball can win $1,000,000. He even has an awesome coach, just making him work on technique. How can he miss? But as the big day approaches, the intensity starts building and the owner of Finkles, the sponsor of the contest, is putting pressure on Eddie to miss on purpose, Eddie is not sure that he can shoot through the distractions. Another cute Million Dollar book. Get the whole series! EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gutman, Dan The Million Dollar Strike 176 p. – Ouchy and Squishy love the old-fashioned bowling alley in their town. When they hear that it is going to be torn condemned, they take over from the depressed owner and turn it into a wonderful place. Unfortunately, an enemy has it out for the alley and on the night of the big opening night party, that enemy has dastardly plans. Okay – if you can believe that anyone would keep ten million dollars in an safe, you can enjoy this book. Just let the impossibilities go and enjoy the ride. EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
Gwaltney, Doris Homefront, 310 p. Simon Schuster – Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: G – Though WWI is going on in Europe, the only thing that Margaret Ann Motley wants in the entire world is to move out of her room that she shares with her grandma. When her sister moves out to go to college she gets her own room. Later her cousin and aunt come to live with them to get away from Europe and from the war. Margaret doesn’t like her new cousin but when her brother goes to the war her feelings change completely. Margaret learns how to deal with family problems and the war in Europe. I thought that this book was really great it showed how war can change people’s feelings about life and I just thought it was really great! EM and MS – ADVISABLE ; Student Reviewer: AN
Kiss the Book 