Have you ever been forced to go on a family trip? Sometimes they can be fun, but sometimes you'd rather just stay home. That's how Pacy feels about her family's trip to Taiwan. To her mom and dad it's a trip to their homeland, but Pacy's home is back in America. And the worst part is that they have to stay the whole summer. A whole summer away from her friends in a country where she can't even understand what people are saying or read the signs if she gets lost. As if that wasn't bad enough, she finds out that her parents have signed her up for classes at the cultural center--classes during summer vacation! But when she gets there, Taiwan isn't anything like what Pacy expected. Her relatives are nice, the food is delicious, and she is determined to win the top prize in her painting class. Maybe the summer will be great, or maybe it will be a disaster after all. One thing is sure though--she'll never forget it!

Pacy is charming and I love the way she tells her story! The information about Taiwan is fascinating and left me wanting to learn more (and go eat some dumplings!) Lin weaves in brief stories throughout the main narration about Chinese legends or Pacy's family history. Lin is an excellent illustrator and she skillfully fits her drawings into the story as if Pacy is doodling in the margins of her diary. I'd give this to fans of novels that are written in the style of a diary with doodles like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Amelia's Notebook series.

Dumpling Days by Grace Lin

Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th Grade
Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Diaries, Family Life, People of Color, Summer Vacation

What would you do if the Green Wind appeared at your house on the back of his flying leopard and offered to take you away to Fairyland? Would you stay safe at home with your amiable dog and your chores? Or would you fly off to adventure, despite the grief you know will follow? For September, the choice is easy. She lives in Omaha, which is no place for anybody, and she has read plenty of stories about Fairyland. Soon she arrives at a crossroads with signs leading in four directions: to lose your way, to lose your life, to lose your mind, and to lose your heart.  She decides to head down the path marked 'to lose your heart.' Was it the right choice? Which way would you go?

The novel is chock-full of fanciful and surreal details from the wyvern who has memorized the encyclopedia from A-L, to the capital city which the queen made out of cloth ("Fierce was her needle, and she wore it like a sword!") I absolutely adored this novel for its abundant heart, wit, and imagination.  Fans of Peter Pan and other fairy tale novels will enjoy this book.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

Erica's Picks
4th - 8th Grades
Tags: Adventure, Fairy Tales, Fantasy

Victor was determined to discover all the secret passages in the Frankenstein estate, but some secrets are best left in darkness. When he stumbled across the Dark Library it almost killed him.  Yet Victor felt its strange allure as he scanned the forbidden titles. Even as he promised his father he'd never return, he doubted he'd be able to resist them. Now his twin brother is sick and all the doctors and science that his parents enlist cannot cure him. But there is a recipe for an elixir in one of the alchemical titles that might. Gathering the ingredients will be dangerous and there's no guarantee the potion will work. Would you stand by and hope for the best--or would you risk it all on a long shot? For Victor, the answer is clear.

The atmosphere is deliciously gothic and the pacing relentless. The cast woks wonderfully together and has individual voices that are allowed to shine. Henry had me cracking up with his various phobias and his poetic spirit while I admired Elizabeth's strong will, wit, and courage. Polidori is an excellent creepy alchemist with a great feline familiar. Konrad is the ultimate hero: intelligent, athletic, level-headed, kind.  But the story is really about his twin: the infamous Victor Frankenstein.  It was interesting to read about how this famous horror character might have been as a teenager. I'd give this to readers looking for a good gothic tale or just a fast-paced story with supernatural undercurrents.

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

Erica's Picks
6th - 8th Grade
Tags: Fast-Paced, Horror, Retellings, Supernatural

In the winter of 1692, two girls began to twitch and choke and writhe. Their parents tried every remedy, but the symptoms prevailed. When a doctor was finally called to examine them, his diagnosis was that the girls were bewitched. The original cause of the girls’ symptoms remains unknown to this day. What is known is that the girls’ strange behavior set off a case of witch-hunt fever that would turn neighbors against each other and result in the loss of innocent lives. The Salem Witch Trials are an iconic chapter of American history and its name is used to point out our folly when suspicions cause us to turn against each other. But what really happened in Salem in 1692?

This book takes the facts and presents them clearly and concisely. Schanzer presents the questions the events pose and the various attempts to answer them, but does not take any one side. The last part of the book is devoted to summaries of what happened to those involved after the trials, which provided a nice perspective. My favorite part of the book is the woodcut illustrations throughout. They are in black and white with touches of red that cause elements to pop.

Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer

Erica's Picks
4th - 8th Grade
Tags: History, Nonfiction

Celia is a magician in a circus. But the Night Circus is no ordinary circus and Celia is no ordinary magician. Unlike many stage conjurers who rely on tricks, Celia really can perform magic. She can turn origami birds into real ones and put broken things back together from a smashed clock to an injured hand. Ever since she was a child, she has trained for a challenge that would test everything she had ever learned about magic.  Her opponent has been training as well. The circus is their battlefield and the war rages on for years. But in the end, one must win.

The world of the Night Circus is enthralling. The tents hold wonderfully creative magical attractions that range far beyond any real or imaginary circus I have ever read about. Morgenstern describes them in beautiful language and with a complete range of sensory detail creating a world that is a pleasure to luxuriate in. The novel, much like a circus, has an ensemble cast with many unique and interesting characters. I'd give it to fans of fantasy and circuses who enjoy rich world-building.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Erica's Picks
7th & 8th Grade
Tags: Fantasy, Romance

Have you ever wondered what happens to unwanted items that get left on the curb? Sometimes they get picked up, but sometimes they end up in Parisn't, or Sans Francisco, or UnLondon. UnLondon is a land full of objects and technologies that are Mostly Obsolete in London and peopled by characters that aren't always human. In a land where giraffes are feared predators and words literally come alive, it isn't surprising that prophesies aren't always entirely correct. But someone has to save UnLondon from the Smog. Will a young girl, a half-ghost, a word-tailor, a bus conductor, and an empty carton of sour milk be able to get to Webminster Abbey in time to find the UnGun, or will their plans go up in smoke and feed the Smog? 

Mieville's imagination is  so charming that I found the book well worth the read just for the ideas introduced: extreme librarian bookaneers, trash can binjas, smog-possessed smombies. The characters are endearing as well and the way the book plays with the Prophesied Epic Quest trope is entertaining.  If you like word play and imaginative settings like in Alice in Wonderland or Phantom Tollbooth, give this one a try. 

Un Lun Dun by China Mieville  

Erica's Picks  
5th-8th
Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Humor

Kate's first season in London would have been difficult enough if things had gone smoothly, but things turns from difficult to deadly when she gets caught in a feud between sorcerers. Meanwhile her best friend Cecelia is stuck at home and what starts off as an extremely dull season turns sinister when a new girl arrives with trouble trailing behind her. As the situation escalates, Cecelia and Kate are told to wait in the drawing rooms and let the sorcerers handle things, but thanks to their letters they know more about the situation than anyone suspects--enough to do something about it themselves! 

This novel is as true to the letter-writing tradition as you can get. It began as a game between the two authors, each taking on a different persona and writing letters back and forth to each other to amuse themselves. Thankfully they realized that what they had at the end was a book that others might enjoy as well, so they thought to clean it up and publish it. That sense of light-hearted amusement leaps from the pages to the reader. Magic, adventure, romance, intrigue, fashion, letters, sass: this book has it all! If you need a pick-me-up or just want to spend a delightful afternoon in a world of magic and wit, this is a the book for you!

Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer


Erica's Picks
6th-8th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Fantasy, Friendship, Historical Fiction, Romance

When a child's eyes don't match, it means that they have been Graced.  Katsa discovered her Grace when she was eight--the day she killed a grown man with a single blow. When the king found out that she had a killing Grace, he was eager to use her to punish his enemies and scare his people into submission. Katsa hates being the King's enforcer, but she can't change her Grace, and she can't disobey a King. At least, that's what always thought until she met a boy with mismatched eyes who could hold his own in a fight against her. Soon her whole world is turned upside down and Katsa is fighting for higher stakes than ever before.

Strength, brains, integrity--Katsa has it all! The world building is excellent and the plot is action-packed without sacrificing characterization and meaty questions of morality and justice. Fans of Katniss in the Hunger Games trilogy will enjoy reading about Katsa.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Erica's Picks
6th-8th Grade
Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Fast-Paced, Romance, Survival

What would you do if you had a deadly dangerous secret? Would you live alone, far from anyone who could discover it? Is there something that could tempt you out of hiding? For Seraphina, that temptation is music. It leads her to take a job at court, where she'll be under close scrutiny. Everyone is tense as the forty-year anniversary of the peace treaty with the dragons draws near. Seraphina tries to stay beneath the radar, but quickly gets caught up in a plot to sabotage the peace and start another, bloody war. 

I absolutely loved being lost in this world and I can't wait until I can go back to it with the sequel!  The characters were complex and endearing, the plot mysterious and compelling, and the world building fantastically detailed. My heart broke for Seraphina as she lived with her secret and the guilt of having to hide it. The political intrigue was exciting and I appreciated the way they tried to solve their problems through diplomacy. The dragons reminded me of Vulcans with their insistence on reason and distaste for emotion. I'd give this to fans of traditional fantasy and dragons. Lovers of math, music, and outsider stories will enjoy it as well. 

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Erica's Picks
6th-8th grade
Tags: Family Life, Fantasy, Romance

It is rare to find a book that engages your heart and also has it thumping from the action.  Seventeen year old Sam and his brother Riddle have been living with their thieving, murderous father all their lives.  Yet they have each other and have managed to foster a sense of integrity, honor and fierce protectiveness.
Sam, a self-taught musician takes comfort in listening to church music on Sundays.  It is there he meets the gaze of Emily who is singing the title song and nervously locks eyes with the person in the back of the church. This is a book about connections and so it begins...a love story that will have your heart cheering for this unlikely couple.
Emily, with her happy home life and wonderful parents, could not live a more polar opposite existence from Sam.  As the boys are drawn into the first loving family they have experienced, trouble lurks around the corner. Twelve year old, nearly mute, Riddle suffers from severe untreated asthma,  Emily's mom Debbie, an ER nurse, has him treated and a strong connection forms between them. Her father Tim, a professor of music, is astounded at Sam's mastery of the guitar. This strong family wii be there for them to the end.
The next part of the novel will have you gasping as the boys' father takes them and a chase across state lines ensues complete with cliffs, guns, wilderness, bears, and waterfalls.  The ending is where all the connections come together and it left me weeping with relief and delight.

I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Tessa's Picks
6th-8th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Contemporary Fiction, Family Life, Issues Fiction, Romance, Survival