A week ago Liza's biggest concern was what dress flattered her figure best. Now she is a penniless orphan working as a lady's maid. At least she is working for princess Victoria. But for a future Queen, Victoria's palace looks pretty shabby. Her mother treats her as if she is still a child and never allows her to be alone.  Her mother plots with Sir John to take over Victoria's power and keeps Victoria hidden from view so that people will believe the rumors that she cannot handle being queen. Before Liza knows what's happening, she finds herself spying for Victoria and making deals with newsmen on fleet street. Victoria may be Queen some day, but until that day comes her mother has her in a trap.  She is a prisoner in her own palace.

Liza was a resourceful, intelligent protagonist. She thinks on her feet and she isn't afraid to risk herself for what she thinks is right. The life of young Victoria and the intrigue behind the scenes is fascinating. Real excerpts from Victoria's diary and letters from her mother are included throughout the text as well as diary entries from the fictional Liza.

Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl

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

During the first World War, one soldier escapes the battlefields of Europe only to enter the fray in the Archipelago of Dreams. Three Oxford Scholars: John, Jack, and Charles struggle to survive in a world beyond Avalon where there are elves, dwarves, trolls, and goblins, not to mention Nemo and his Nautilus. Even though they are strangers to the land, they are entrusted with the protection of its most important book: the Imaginarium Geographica. 

Owen weaves a charming fantasy tale in this novel that takes beloved stories and weaves them together. The legend of King Arthur is blended with Dickens characters and Greek Mythology. I've seen re-tellings of Greek myths and Arthurian legends before, but it is rare to find a book that involves re-tellings of stories drawn from so many sources.   Even the three main characters are famous authors.  Whether or not you’ve read the various stories it is based on, you’ll enjoy this fast-paced fantasy adventure.

Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen


Erica's Picks
5th - 8th Grade
Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Friendship, Mythology, Retellings

Vincent Wu knows Captain Stupendous like no one else. Of the four fan clubs devoted to him, Vincent is president of is the only one that's the real deal.  It only has three members, but Vincent takes his responsibilities seriously.  He writes about Captain Stupendous for every school report, he knows all his moves, and he watches and re-watches footage of his fights. But when he finally meets Captain Stupendous he's nothing like Vincent imagined. On the outside he's big, strong, and super fast but on the inside he's...a girl? Something has gone terribly wrong and Captain Stupendous's stupendous powers have been passed on to a surly girl who doesn't even want to be a superhero. Will Vincent and his friends be able to change her mind or will Professor Mayhem take over the town? 

The premise of this story is hilarious.  The superman-like hero of the story ends up being a sassy teenage girl.  Just because she doesn't want to be a superhero doesn't mean that she can't fight though. And she will beat up Vincent and his friends if they don't watch what they say. The awkward tensions that ensue among them are comedy gold.  I enjoyed watching Jung play with superhero clichés and turn them on their heads. There’s a mad scientist but there are good scientists too. In fact they use science to fight Mayhem. Fans of superhero comics will enjoy the novel. The fast pacing and ample pictures make it great for those just starting to read full chapter books.

Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities by Mike Jung

Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th Grade
Tags: Comics, Friendship, Humor, School Stories

Who are you? Are you who they say you are? Or are you someone else? Or perhaps a combination of the two: the public and the private you? Addie has been called many things by many people: to her fellow misfits she's a friend, to her classmates she's a know-it-all, to her boyfriend she's beautiful but infuriating, to her boyfriend's friends she's a loser social-climber, to her ex-best friend Becca she's badly in need of a makeover, to her grandmother she's a reminder of how times have changed, and to herself she's...a girl trying to figure out who she is. 

The format of a novel in verse provided provides an intimacy that allows a good look into Addie’s psyche. Addie worries about her boyfriend and her social status, but she also worries about stories she reads in the newspaper. The poems range from haikus about her cats to long, loosely structured ones about her grandmother and each format fit the subject. This a quick and easy read. Even though it is economical with its words, the descriptions of the plot, character, and setting shine through just as strongly as in a regular novel. Technically it's the third book in a series but you don’t have to read the first two to enjoy it. I'd give it to fans of poetry, but I'd also give it to anyone looking for an outsider school story.

Addie on the Inside by James Howe

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Contemporary Fiction, Novels in Verse, School Stories

What with King John demanding higher and higher taxes every day and the Sheriff finding more and more awful ways of gettin' people to pay 'em, times haven't been good. Families are starvin' and innocent people are gettin' themselves thrown in jail or worse. That's where we come in. I reckon there's not a soul in Nottingham whose heart doesn't give a little flutter of hope when it hears the name Robin, excepting the Sheriff's men of course. Everyone 'round here knows about Robin, Little John, Much, and me--Will Scarlet. What they don't know is that I aint really a Will at all. I'm a woman. If they knew the one fightin' with guards and stealin' food and wearing trousers was a woman I doubt they'd be so fond of me. But in dark times like these we all do what we got to do and we all have secrets to hide. Things are changing though. The Sheriff has ordered a special thief-taker in from London, Sir Guy of Gisborne, and if he finds out about me, I'll be done for. I should really run, but how can I turn my back on people who need me? How can I turn my back on Robin? I can feel it in my bones: these are dark times--and they're about to get even darker. 

Scarlet is a wonderful protagonist. The way she narrates the story with slang and sass was entertaining. The basic archetypes from the legends are re-imagined and fleshed out with new, gritty back-stories. There's plenty of adventuring and outwitting of sheriffs to keep the reader turning pages.  Readers looking for a romantic story won't be disappointed either.  It has a little something for everyone.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Erica's Picks
7th - 8th Grade
Tags: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Retellings, Romance

When I say 'rat' what words come to mind? Sneaky? Evil? Untrustworthy? Well don't believe everything that you read in books! Rats aren't all bad.  Malcolm is determined to prove that even though he is a rat he can still be have valor and merit like everyone else in Mr. Binney's classroom. Even the other class pets are prejudiced against rats. It will be hard for Malcolm to prove his worth with everyone against him, but maybe if he can solve the mystery of the spy that's trying to bring down the school, he will finally be able to prove that rats can be trusted.

This is a fun story based on the idea that all the class pets meet after hours to keep the school safe. There’s everything from intelligent iguanas to a tough-guy rabbit.  It's easy to root for Malcolm as he struggles with problems big and small from trying to do the right thing to giving up chewing his whiskers. The pictures provide great details of the action and the expressions on the animals' faces. The story is written as a long note to the teacher. The narrator tells extra tidbits about the students to Mr. Binney and notes when he uses vocabulary words and includes the definitions to show he was paying attention. I'd give this to students looking for a mystery and pet-lovers

Malcolm at Midnight by W.H. Beck


Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th Grade
Tags: Animals, Humor, Mystery, School Stories

Ghosts stories gather in areas filled with sadness. Perhaps that is why there are so many tales of the supernatural in Calcutta. Siraj knows all of them. He researches them for the other members of the Chowbar society: Isobel the fearless actress, Roshan who used to live on the streets, Michael the quiet artist, Seth the scholar, Ben the mercurial leader of the group, and Ian the one destined to escape and tell the tale. The group is bound together by misery, all residents of the local orphanage, and in the absence of family they swore to protect each other. But they never imagined how much those loyalties would be tested or that one of Siraj's ghost stories would came to life and stalk them. 

Zafon has a wonderful way with words and does an excellent job creating a spooky atmosphere and establishing a good sense of place. The characters and the relationships among them are fascinating.  I'd give this to fans of supernatural tales and books about close groups of friends and secret societies.

The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Erica's Picks
7th - 8th Grade
Tags: Fast-Paced, Friendship, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, People of Color, Supernatural

Today Superman is best known for battling Lex Luthor and other super villains. But before Superman came to stand for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" he was known as the "Champion of the Oppressed" and he regularly battled dictators, terrorists, and spies. In the summer of 1946 the Man of Steel even took on the Ku Klux Klan. Attacking the infamous organization was a dangerous affair for the creators of the show, and it required careful planning. Intelligence was gathered from spies who had infiltrated the organization. This is the true story of two outcast kids who grew up to create an iconic American hero, an activist and spy who wasn't afraid to fight for what he believed in, and an infamous organization that used hate-filled rhetoric to feed its greed.

This book contained a trove of interesting information and skillfully balanced multiple threads. I enjoyed reading about the real-life people associated with Superman.  This has a little something for everyone and is a quick to read. Naturally it has some appeal for superhero fans, but a love or even knowledge of comics isn't necessary to enjoy the book.

Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate by Rick Bowers

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th Grade
Tags: Biography, Comics, Fast Paced, History, Nonfiction, Spies

  Sophie is on her way to visit her mother who runs a bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the summer as she does every year.  She grew up in Congo leaving when she was eight to live with her dad in America.  She has seen beauty and suffering in her birth country.  On the ride to the compound she and her friend and driver Clement, come across a baby bonobo; his captor offers him for sale.  The little ape has been abused and Sophie cannot abandon the pathetic pleading in his eyes.  Buying him she knows will anger her mother; a purchase will encourage more poaching.

With her mom’s help, Sophie begins nursing the little ape, Otto, back to health and decides to stay at sanctuary while her mom goes home for the night. Before her mother can return, armed revolution breads out and the sanctuary is attacked.  The rebels are ruthless and many are killed as they settle into the compound.  Sophie and Otto were outside the compound when the strike occurred and are able to escape. 

The journey to find her mother in a war torn country, while keeping herself and Otto safe, is a harrowing one.  Schrefer has done his research and the fascinating picture of the bonobos (with whom we share over 98% of the same DNA) who Sophie joins in the jungle in order to survive is accurate and engrossing. 

This tale of survival and animal and human connection will touch your heart.

Tessa's picks
5th-8th
Survival, animals, fast paced, adventure

Tara Feinstein, your average Jewish-American girl, has a family like a bowl of spicy matzoh ball soup.  She goes to Hebrew school and rubs Ganesha for luck.  Bollywood movies are her go-to.  But she’s not sure the she want to have a  Bat Mizvah.  Her family is not very religious and she isn’t even sure she believes in God.  
And why does her best friend from forever suddenly want to be her boyfriend?   Will the Bat Mizvah make her less Indian, more Jewish and can she wear grandmother’s sari to the ceremony?

Tessa's Pick
4th-6th
Contemporary fiction, family life, friendship, humor.