Samurai Rising by Pamela S. Turner, Illustrated by Gareth Hinds
Erica's Picks
6th & up
Tags: Adventure, Biography, Fast-Paced, History, Nonfiction, People of Color
This book, while non-fiction, reads like an adventure novel. The story of Minamoto Yoshitsune is larger than life and the bravery, betrayals, and brutal ending felt like the best kind of Hollywood epic. When Yoshitsune was just a baby, his father was killed by a rival clan. Raised in a monastery, Yoshitsune was determined to escape and learn the way of the Samurai. Despite a late start in training, he became one of the most famous samurai of all time known for his fearless leadership in battle and the fierce loyalty he inspired among his men. But not everyone loved Yoshitsune, and when he was finally betrayed his death by seppuku would solidify the practice in Samurai tradition. Don't miss this thrilling tale! Samurai Rising by Pamela S. Turner, Illustrated by Gareth Hinds Erica's Picks 6th & up Tags: Adventure, Biography, Fast-Paced, History, Nonfiction, People of Color
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Death can be cured and aging reversed. The need for politics and politicians has been erased by a benevolent, all-seeing artificial intelligence dubbed the Thunderhead. The only thing humanity won't let the Thunderhead dictate is who dies. So how do you ensure the population doesn't surpass what Earth can provide? Scythes. These elite arbiters of death are apprenticed in adolescence and trained in how to kill from martial arts to poison. No one is entirely sure what methods they use to select who they glean and everyone is eager to get in their good graces. But in a world beyond politics, factions are rising within the Scythe ranks and radical splinter groups are forming that enjoy the art of killing a bit too much. They are orchestrating tragedies on a scale that hasn't been seen for centuries. In the midst of this chaos two rival apprentices appear who are destined to change everything. Scythe by Neal Shusterman Erica's Picks 7th & up Tags: Dystopian, Fast-Paced, Science Fiction Hoodoo Hatcher was born into a family with a tradition of practicing folk magic: hoodoo; using potions and charms to evade evil and bring good luck. A mysterious Stranger comes to town bringing evil shadows and dark nightmares. He wants something from Hoodoo and threatens the entire town to get his ends. Everybody says that the little heart shaped birthmark under Hoodoo's eye is a sign. Can he find the courage, the magic and most of all the heart to save those he loves and himself? Hoodoo learns that "Having heart is being brave, even when everything looks dark as night....Having heart is believing in yourself, if you didn't know." Tessa's Picks, 4th grade, Horror, 3rd&4th summer 2016, People of Color. When World War III ravaged the world a small group managed to survive in the remote Alaskan wilderness. Juneau is one of the children of these survivors and has learned how to live off the land and tap into the heart of nature to work magic. When her tribe is taken while she's out hunting she ventures out of the safe zone for the first time and what she discovers shakes her to the very core: a whole city, completely untouched. Is everything she was ever told a lie? But her tribe is still missing and she must find them. Now she has to survive in an environment she is completely unprepared for in a world where she has no idea whom to trust. This story is told in the alternating perspectives of Juneau and Miles, the son of a pharmaceutical exec who wants to find Juneau to unlock the secret of why the adults in her tribe never age. The pacing is quick and fans of Katniss will enjoy the capable Juneau. Fans of supernatural stories will enjoy Juneau’s nature-based magic and animal lovers will enjoy Juneau's pets (dogs and a bird.) After the End by Amy Plum Erica's Picks 7th & 8th Grade Tags: Fast Paced, People of Color, Supernatural, Survivor When Maisie's father gave her the middle name 'Danger' he thought he was being funny. He didn't know how apt it would turn out to be. Maisie has wanted to go to astronaut camp ever since she was a little girl, so when she sees the contest on her cereal box she figures that it couldn't hurt to apply. She is shocked to win and even more so when she's selected to be part of an elite group that gets to visit the space elevator built by the eccentric genius who runs the camp. But what starts as a prize loses its luster when things go horribly wrong. All of their lives will be changed forever as they come to grips with new abilities and try to decide who, if anyone, they can trust. Aliens, superheroes, cool gadgets, and epic fight scenes: this book has it all. The characters are diverse and resist easy categorization into good and evil. If you’re looking for a sci-fi thriller with a super hero angle, look no further. Dangerous by Shannon Hale Erica's Picks 7th -8th Grade Tags: Family life, Fast Paced, Makers, People of Color, Romance, Science Fiction Dodger earned his nickname for his ability to dodge out of danger and he's stayed true to his name. He makes a living by finding coins, jewels, and other debris in the sewers of London. One night as he's coming out of a drain he sees a lady in distress and rushes to her aid. This sets off a chain of events that leads him to meeting Charles Dickens, getting a close shave from Sweeney Todd, and even attending a posh dinner party. But when an international assassin is hired to kill him, will he be able to dodge him too? This book is chock full of interesting facts about Victorian London from Dickens and Disraeli to toshers and cockney rhyming slang. Dodger somehow finds himself rubbing elbows with a variety of famous and infamous people from the era as he woos a damsel in distress and finds his way out of the gutter. Dodger by Terry Pratchett Erica's Picks 7th - 8th Tags: Adventure, Fast Paced, Historical Fiction, Humor, Retellings If you understand the basics of supply and demand, you can make a good life for yourself anywhere. Even in juvenile detention. In prison, supplies of everything are limited and demand is high. But there's one thing in particular the inmates crave: candy. Some like it sweet and some like it sour but everyone likes something. Shreve has the candy market cornered and is set to serve the rest of his sentence in comfort--until he gets a new cellmate. Right away, Shreve can tell there's something off about Jack. Then he finds out that he has twelve fingers and twelve toes. That's only the tip of the bizarre iceberg. Soon Shreve and Jack are on the run and caught in a plot straight from an X-Men comic. The people chasing them want much more than to just throw them back in prison. But how can they hide from someone who can invade people's minds? The plot is absolutely relentless and Shreve's voice adds humor to the story even in its darker corners. The villains are delightfully sinister and the heroes brave and resourceful. The story isn't entirely black and white though. The plot keeps twisting leaving the motives of even the villains in question. In addition to these acts of mutant violence the story sheds light on some harsh realities of the non-supernatural variety. Jacobs does a great job balancing a fast-paced plot with thought-provoking elements. The Twelve-Fingered Boy by John Hornor Jacobs Erica's Picks 8th Grade Tags: Adventure, Fast-Paced, Friendship, Horror, Humor, Issues Fiction, Supernatural When Ben's mother dies all he wants is some time to be alone, but his father has other plans. One day he announces that he's sold their house and bought a sailboat and that the family is going to spend a year sailing around the Bahamas. Ben is so upset with his father he doesn't even want look at him, so living on a 30 foot long boat with him 24/7 seems like the worst fate imaginable--until the worst truly does happen. One morning Ben and his brother wake up in the middle of the ocean to find their father gone, and a storm bigger than any they've ever seen brewing on the horizon. The characters and their interactions are well portrayed, but the main force driving the plot is the unrelenting action as the boys struggle to survive. This book is perfect for those seeking a fast-paced adventure novel, especially for students who like survival stories or have an interest in sailing. The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong Erica's Picks 5th - 8th Grade Tags: Adventure, Family Life, Fast-Paced, Survival Balsa is a fighter and a bodyguard, but even she isn't prepared for the mess she finds herself in after rescuing the second prince from drowning one day. Balsa has no love of royalty, but before she knows it she's risking her life and fighting foes natural and supernatural to protect the boy. She soon realizes that much more is at stake than just one boy's life, but how can she defeat a foe that she can't see and knows nothing about? Moribito is a great, fast-paced fantasy adventure novel. The author is Japanese (it's translated into English), which makes it stand out among all the western fantasy stories.There are beautiful two-page illustrations at the beginning of each section. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi Erica's Picks 6th - 8th Grade Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Fast-Paced, People of Color Steampunk meets genepunk in Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan. The time is the eve of World War I, but the timeline is not the one we are familiar with. It is a world where Charles Darwin was able to go further in his research and manipulate genes to create vast, living airships out of a hodgepodge of animals. Those who find his practice ungodly have responded with similarly strange, animalistic machines to combat them. Your guides in this world are a young Machinist named Alek and a Darwinist named Deryn. When his father is assassinated, Alek is forced to flee for his life, while Deryn flees her family and disguises herself as a boy so she can enlist and get a seat aboard the airship, the flying whale, the Leviathan. I love the world presented in this novel, and I like that the perspective switches back and forth between characters on both sides of the conflict. Leviathan engulfs you in its world and keeps you turning the pages until the 'to be continued' at the end (thankfully all three books in the trilogy are already out, so you won’t have to wait after the cliffhangers.) Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld Erica's Picks 5th - 8th Grade Tags: Adventure, Fast-Paced, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk |
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