The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell

The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell
Genre: Middle Reader Fiction - Fantasy
My Rating: 9/10

I was lucky enough to be working last weekend when the author, Lynne Jonell, came to Inkwood to do a signing for her new book - The Secret of Zoom! Not only was Mrs. Jonell fascinating and entertaining, but she also showed us all the drawings that inspired her other books about Emmy and Ratty (Sunshine State and Battle of the Books - Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat). I hadn't read her newest book, so I picked one up while she was at the store and took it home.

Christina is a young girl who lives alone with her father (a brilliant but boring scientist) in a huge mansion up on a hill. Her mother was 'blown to smithereens' when she was just a baby, and since then, her father has become very protective over Christina. She is kept indoors with just her Nanny and Cook for company, and is only allowed to go outside for an hour a day. Even when she does go outside, she is never allowed to leave her fenced in yard or speak to anyone who may be on the road nearby. But one day, the orphans are out cleaning the side of the road and one of them talks to HER! Taft is the very first child Christina has ever spoken to, and when he tells her that there is a secret passage somewhere in her house, she believes him.

As Christina searches for the hidden passage, she soon finds many more secrets about this strange town and it's even weirder founder/leader - Leo Loompski. It's not long before Christina and Taft discover Zoom - a magical-scientific mineral deposit found in the mountains behind Christina's house in a small town owned and run by the evil Leo Loompski. Could it be that Loompski is somehow forcing the orphans to mine the Zoom? What is it for? And where do all the children disappear to?

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

Steel Trapp: The Challenge by Ridley Pearson

Steel Trapp: The Challenge by Ridley Pearson
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
My Rating: 8/10


Steven Trapp has a photographic memory - he can recall anything thing he's previously seen before in perfect detail. This has earned him the nickname "Steel Trapp" by those who know him, and it certainly fits! Not only does Steel have an extraordinary memory, but he's a science whiz as well, so it's no surprise that he's a competitor in the National Science Challenge. The book starts off with Steel, his mother, and his dog, Cairo, on a train to Washington D.C., where he will present his invention to the judges. Everything seems to be normal, until Steel notices a woman who appears to have left her briefcase on the train. In an attempt to help by running after the woman to return the briefcase, Steel becomes involved in a very dangerous scheme that the FBI has been following for some time. Steel is joined by another National Science Challenge contender, Kaileigh, who also becomes caught up in the dangerous plot. As the Challenge draws closer, the two teens sink deeper and deeper into the mystery of the briefcase and soon find themselves running from the bad guys as well as the FBI. Not knowing who to trust, the teens attempt to disrupt the scheme themselves - causing the situation to take a very dangerous turn.

Steel may not be Alex Rider, but fans of Horowitz's series will find Pearson's characters and plot twists to be just as engaging. The story moves very quickly and readers will be eager for more when they finish. The second book in the series, Steel Trapp: The Academy, is due out January 18th.

Order it from Inkwood Books HERE

The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet Stevens

The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet Stevens
Genre: Picture Book
My Rating: 9/10

For some reason, little prairie dogs always make me laugh and in this creative picture book, the little critters certainly are entertaining. It all starts when a dog drops a tennis ball into a prairie dog tunnel. The little critters aren't sure whether it's dangerous or not, until one young prairie dog darts forward and gets a little of the green fuzz stuck to her paw. What happens next is complete chaos! The prairie dogs start fighting over the fuzz and things start to get ugly. Everything spirals wildly out of control when an eagle sees a prairie dog covered in green fuzz making a scene outside of their hole and dives down to pick him up. The prairie dogs have to find a way to save their friend - and quick!

The fold out pages allow the illustrations to to show the depths of the prairie dogs' tunnels and give the reader a clear view of the craziness of the story. I loved the scenes where the prairie dogs are dancing around covered in fuzz!

Order from Inkwood Books HERE

Bobby vs Girls (Accidentally) by Lisa Yee

Bobby vs Girls (Accidentally) by Lisa Yee
Genre: Middle Reader Fiction
My Rating: 7/10

I just finished this book today, and it was very funny. Bobby Ellis-Chan is the son of a retired football player, The Freezer. His dad is well known in their town for scaring his opponents on the field, and likes to growl at random people in grocery stores as well. Bobby loves his father, but often finds him to be quite embarrassing. When Bobby starts 4th grade, he soon finds that there are many other things that can embarrass a normal 9 year old boy...
Things like: being caught wearing pink curlers (it was his younger sister's fault!), getting stuck to the world's smelliest tree on a field trip, and finding out that static cling and underwear can ruin a class election!

Besides having all of these things happen, Bobby is also trying to deal with the changes that his best friend experienced over the summer. Holly used to be fun ~ she liked to go exploring and rock hunting and do boy things. But just before school starts, Bobby finds out that Holly has become GIRLY! It's common knowledge at Bobby's school that boys and girls don't get along... but will that keep the two friends apart?

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Genre: Young Adult - SciFi
My Rating: 9/10

I have to admit that I am a serious Westerfeld-fan (If you haven't read the Uglies series, get to a bookstore now. It's a MUST for any scifi fan), so when this book came out I immediately grabbed a copy even though I thought it sounded very odd. I had never heard of the 'steampunk' genre and when I did a little research it didn't seem like something I would like... Basically, 'steampunk' literature is set during the time when steam powered machines were common ~ often in Victorian England, but adds in a fantasy or scifi twist. In this book, Westerfeld sets the scene with an event that most people are familiar with - the assassination of Archduke Franz that set in motion events that would cause the start of World War I. The story is told from 2 different points of view - Prince Aleksandar (the current heir to the throne who is now in hiding from the angry masses) and Deryn Sharp (a girl who managed to sneak into the British Air Force by pretending to be a boy).

The story jumps back and forth between the two characters, allowing the reader to see both sides of the upcoming war and hinting that the two will somehow meet. Prince Aleksandar and his loyal crew are Clankers - they have huge walking machines that are powered by steam and loaded with heavy ammunition. As he flees his country, it becomes clear that he will have to find a safe place to regroup and try to recover his kingdom. Meanwhile, Deryn Sharp is flying high in the skies in Leviathan - a Darwinist airship creation which most closely resembles a flying whale. Even though Aleksandar and Deryn seem to have very different views on the war, they will soon be tossed together in an adventure that could change everything.

Besides having a fast-paced story line, the book is also enhanced by the incredibly detailed illustrations by Keith Thompson. Since some of the Clanker and Darwinist creations are quite outlandish, the pictures really help the reader get into the story and add to the amazing world that Westerfeld has created.

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

The Adventures Of Polo Series by Regis Faller

The Adventures of Polo Series by Regis Faller
Genre: Picture Books - Wordless
My Rating: 10/10

I think that it's only natural for children to be drawn to wordless picture books. The open format gives them a chance to become authors themselves, making up stories that can change each time they 'read' the book. I remember having a few wordless picture books as a child, and I loved 'reading' them to anyone who would listen.

The Adventures of Polo and the other books in this series are perfect for young readers ~ the story is told in a comic format with multiple squares on each page that progress the story along. Polo lives on a small island in the middle of the ocean, but he travels to the most amazing places. The illustrations are bold and filled with color to capture the imagination of readers of all ages. I especially like the story Polo and Lily, where a wild girl appears on his island one day to cause problems and show Polo new worlds. And in Polo and the Dragon, the spunky little dog encounters quite a beast when he least expects it. Other titles to choose from include Polo and the Magic Flute, Polo and the Runaway Book, and Polo and the Magician.

Order one of the Polo adventures from Inkwood Books HERE

Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper by Michael Reisman

Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper by Michael Reisman
Genre: Middle Reader Fiction - SciFi
My Rating: 7/10

Simon Bloom has never been too extraordinary before ~ he's just a normal 11 year old. But that all changes one day when he gets smacked in the head by a mysterious book. Soon, Simon begins to realize that his hometown isn't a quiet and peaceful as he had thought. The book that found Simon is actually a very unusual Teacher's Edition of what appears to be a Physics text book. At first, Simon is frustrated by the difficult equations and passages inside... but then he begins to realize that the book can provide him with 'spells' to allow him to defy physics. He takes a quick flight in his bedroom and gets stuck on the ceiling, then he starts to realize that he can other things as well - he can slide across the ground as though he was skating on ice, and can even make himself so heavy that he can't move at all. His friend Owen starts to learn how to control physics as well and the 2 boys begin to realize how much they can really do.

Meanwhile, an incredibly evil woman who is aware of the power of Teacher's Editions, such as the one Simon has found, is plotting how to steal it from him so that she can become more powerful. Simon and Owen soon find themselves in the middle of quite a mess as others appear and attempt to take the book as well. Simon and Owen have to decide who can be trusted and who to destroy before it's too late.

I really liked the way The Narrator occasionally jumps in to the story to add his own comments and tease the reader with little hints as to what's to come. It gets even more interesting when Simon and Owen stumble upon a door that actually leads them to The Narrator... and they learn that they've been watched the whole time!

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

Maximum Ride - Manga Edition

Maximum Ride Vol. 1 by James Patterson and NaRae Lee
Genre: Manga - Young Adult
My Rating: 8/10

I'm so excited that publishers are making manga from popular middle reader and young adult titles! Not only is it fun to reread the story with illustrations, but it's great from a teaching point of view as well! The kids in my class loved reading manga versions of their favorite novels and I'm now glad to be able to add James Patterson's Maximum Ride series to my shelves.

The manga sticks pretty close to the novel's story line ~ so fans of Max and her flock will be pleased. Volume 1 of the manga series focuses on the events that occurred in The Angel Experiment and deals with the kidnapping and rescue of Max's youngest 'sibling', Angel. If you're new to the Maximum Ride story here's a little background information...

A secret government lab found a way to cross avian and human DNA and has secretly been kidnapping kids and turning them into super-strong, winged beings. Max and her friends (Fang, Iggy, Gasman, and Angel), each have enormous wings that sprout from their shoulder blades and allow them to fly. (As the story progresses you find that they have other special abilities, too!) The School (the bad guys), has been testing and training Max and her friends for years but they somehow managed to escape and have been living in hiding ever since. Just when they think that they might be able to have semi-normal lives, Erasers arrive and kidnap Angel. The flock immediately sets off on an adventure to rescue their youngest sibling and learns something shocking about the plans The School has in store for them all.

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

Fu Finds the Way by John Rocco

Fu Finds the Way by John Rocco
Genre: Picture Book
My Rating: 8/10

I am a firm believer that you are never too old for picture books. This one has made it onto my bookcase at home as well as at school. The art is amazing ~ I love the colors and details on each page and it's sure to grab the attention of young readers as well.

Fu is a young boy in a small village where every warrior is trained by the old master. Fu has never received any training, but one day an older warrior, Chang, challenges Fu to a battle and Fu panics. he rushes off to seek assistance from the Master, only to be told that he first must learn how to make tea! As Fu struggles to slow down and understand what the Master is trying to teach him, he begins to see that purpose, flow, and patience are virtues that will help him more than physical speed and strength.

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
My Rating: All-Time-Favorite

For those of you who happened to be in the store (Inkwood) last holiday season, I'm sure you've heard enough about this book... but it is STILL my favorite after a whole year. It's in paperback now and has a snappy new cover and I feel the need to push it yet again.

It starts with a typical storyline - boy loves girl from a distance with no hope of being noticed. Quentin has been in awe of Margo Roth Spiegelman for as long as he can remember, and now it's almost the end of his senior year of high school and she barely even acknowledges that he exists. And then, late one night, Margo climbs in through Quentin's bedroom window and demands that he join her in a night of revenge. Quentin agrees, and the two set out on an insane quest to get back at those who have angered Margo. Their night-time adventure is quite crazy, and by the morning Quentin is convinced that Margo has entered his life for a reason - only to find that she has disappeared.

Margo's run off in the past, so a few days go by before Quentin begins to really worry about her safety. But the story really takes off once Quentin finds clues to Margo's hiding spot hidden in one of her highlighted copies of Leaves of Grass by Whitman. Quentin and his humorous buddies, Ben and Radar, end up on a wild adventure to find Margo before it's too late.

I read this book in one sitting and then passed it on to quite a few friends who all did the same. It's perfect for girls or guys and is sure to be a hit.

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

Knights of the Lunch Table by Frank Cammuso

Knights of the Lunch Table by Frank Cammuso
Genre: Graphic Novel - full color throughout
My Rating: 8/10

 Another excellent graphic novel to please kids who love reading comic-style stories! This action-packed series tells about Artie King, a new boy in school who claims to be a dodgeball pro when confronted by his classmates. When he gets assigned to the locker that no one can open (which also happens to have a legend to go along with it...), he instantly becomes a hero in the school - but Artie is unsure about whether or not he has what it takes to defeat the school bully, Joe Roman.

The references to Arthurian Legend are witty and most children who are familiar with the story of The Sword in the Stone will be able to pick up on most of them. Overall, a very nicely done graphic novel that will keep kids entertained while providing a decent story line.

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
Genre: Middle Reader Fiction
My Rating: 7/10

The London Eye is a gigantic ferris wheel in London that takes a full 30 minutes to go around one time. Ted and his sister Kat, have been on the Eye before but their cousin has never gone. As the three kids wait in line for the ferris wheel, a stranger approaches and gives them a free ticket. Salim takes it since he's never ridden before while Ted and Kat stay back. They watch their cousin get on the ride and even watch the car he's in... but when it gets back to the ground, Salim doesn't get off! Panic soon sets in and parents call the police, but Ted feels as though something just isn't right.

Ted is used to people ignoring him - he thinks differently, and he knows it. (It seems as though Ted has Asperger's Syndrome or something similar although it is never stated in the story.) He's sure that all the pieces to the puzzle are there... if only he could sort them out! As Ted and Kat piece together what really happened the day that Salim disappeared, they begin to uncover another issue that adds more characters to the mystery.

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Savvy by Ingrid Law
Genre: Middle Reader Fiction - Fantasy
My Rating: 9/10

Mibs Beaumont is about to have the biggest birthday of her life. In just a few days she will turn 13, and in her family, that means she will finally find out what her very own savvy will be. Her older brothers have had disastrous 13th birthdays... one caused a hurricane that forced the family to move inland to avoid further water based storms and the other created a surge of electricity that knocked out the power for half the state! Her birthday will also mean that Mibs can start homeschooling, since it's dangerous for Beaumont kids to attend public school until they can learn to control, or scumble, their savvies.

But as the big day draws closer, a family emergency takes her mother and father far from home and leaves Mibs alone with her siblings to face her savvy by herself. Mibs worries that something horrible will happen... and is confused when her savvy presents itself in a much different fashion than that of her brothers'. With her new savvy and some new friends, Mibs sets off to try to save her loved ones and discovers some shocking things about people she thought she knew!

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

The Giants and the Joneses by Julia Donaldson

The Giants and the Joneses by Julia Donaldson
Genre: Middle Reader Fiction - Fantasy
My Rating: 7/10

The giants who live in Groil, the land of giants up in the clouds, are terrified that another little person like Jack will climb into their land and start causing problems again. Most giant children are taught to be afraid of iggly plops (humans!), but Jumbeelia sure isn't. Jumbeelia likes to collect things, and when she finds 3 iggly plops from below in Groil, she immediately scoops them up to live in her dollhouse. The iggly plops prove to be quite unhappy in her collection, and soon try to escape.

Throughout the book, the giants speak in Groilish and the reader must decipher what is actually being said. (This is fairly easy since the context clues make sure young children will be able to quickly guess what is being said as well as including an English/Groilish dictionary at the end of the book.) I had a blast learning the giants' language and trying out phrases in Groilish because of the sheer silliness of it all. Words like iggly plops, beesh, and chrimpchoggers make this a great read aloud.

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Strawberry Marshmallow Series by Barasui

Strawberry Marshmallow by Barasui
Genre: Manga (Ages 13+)
My Rating: 10/10

I am a big fan of manga, so I've decided to include it on my page along with the chapter and picture books because I think that there are some really great story lines in this typically Japanese-based art/literature style. Strawberry Marshmallow is a "slice of life" manga that follows a group of 5th/6th grade friends through their daily lives. It's set up in short stories that tell about the sometimes crazy and sometimes off-the-wall occurrences in the Ito family household as the two sisters deal with an assortment of friends that seem to almost live in their home. Nobue, the oldest, is a moody but protective sister who often stirs up trouble among the other girls. Chika, her younger sister, is the sensible one that always tries to be the peace-maker while their next-door neighbor, Miu wildly flies into their bedroom windows with insane schemes and crazy ideas. This manga will have you laughing out loud as you read about the best friends as they navigate through middle school.

It's always fun to learn little tidbits about the way people live in other cultures, and Strawberry Marshmallow is filled with references to how kids live in Japan. Readers get a glimpse of what typical foods are eaten, what kinds of snacks kids like, how school is different from those in the States, as well as culture-specific holidays and customs that make this series so adorable.

Order Strawberry Marshmallow manga from Inkwood Books HERE

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Scat by Carl Hiaasen
Genre: Middle Reader Fiction
My Rating: 9/10

Being a Floridian, I have been aware of Carl Hiaasen's books for some time ~ and was excited when he started writing for a younger audience. His previous books - Hoot and Flush are similar to Scat in the sense that they are all mysteries that deal with ecological issues. In this story, middle schoolers, Nick and Marta, find themselves in the middle of a curious situation. Their cross and generally unliked Biology teacher has disappeared in a most suspicious manner but no one seems to care. At first the two friends suspect Smoke, the school bully, who threatened the teacher earlier in the year. But as they attempt to find evidence to prove it was Smoke, they soon stumble onto an even bigger mystery involving a baby Florida panther.

This has been my favorite Hiaasen mystery so far, and is sure to please both boys and girls. Since it is a stand-alone, there is no need to have read Hoot or Flush before picking up Scat, but it will definitely hook you on Hiaasen's writing style if it's your first and have you going back to the store for the others.

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

The Lost Island of Tamarind by Nadia Aguiar

The Lost Island of Tamarind by Nadia Aguiar
Genre: Young Adult Fiction - Fantasy
My Rating: 10/10

Maya, Simon, and Penny are the children of marine-scientist parents who insist on living at sea on their ship, the Pamela Jane. While some children might find a life at sea fun, Maya thinks it's just plain boring. She's just turned 13 and there are no other teenagers for her to hang out with at sea - only her annoying younger brother and the baby. Her life quickly becomes more interesting when a fierce storm causes her parents to fall overboard and leaves the Pamela Jane washed ashore on a very strange island. Maya, Simon, and Penny soon find that this is not your typical island... creepy vines will sneak down from the canopy of the jungle to snatch things from you... even babies!

Once it becomes apparent that this island is in the middle of a crazy war between pirates and an evil witch who steals children to work in her extensive mines, the kids have to work together to figure out how to find their parents and get off the Island of Tamarind. They receive some help when they meet a young boy who seems to be native to the island, Helix. With his guidance, the siblings brave the forest, meet the very odd people who live in treehouses up in the clouds, and battle the evil witch.

The story moves quickly, with lots of action, and will keep you up reading way past your bedtime. It ends in a way that suggests a sequel, but so far the 2nd book has not been announced. I have definitely made a special place for this wonderful story on my bookcase at home, and I plan to make sure everyone I know reads it as well!

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE

The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls by Elise Primavera

The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls by Elise Primavera
Genre: Middle Reader Fiction - Fantasy
My Rating: 10/10

My first thought while reading this book was that it reminded me a lot of Roald Dahl's books. The strange silliness and crazy plot had the same feel to the books I have always loved (BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc...). Add to that the illustrations throughout the book, and I found the Gumm Street Girls to be absolutely entertaining. The story starts off with four very different girls who all live on the same street. They don't necessarily get along, but that makes their adventures all the more fun! One girl, Ivy, has recently moved into the neighborhood and seems to have a strange past. Since the girls all are forced to take piano lessons from the strange Mr. Staccato, they end up discovering that their teacher has Dorothy's ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz in a display case in his house. When he disappears one night, and leaves the ruby slippers to Ivy, it is not long before a crazy woman named Cha-Cha shows up. Not only does Cha-Cha bear a striking resemblance to the Wicked Witch from Oz, but she also sends the four girls into Spoz (a twisted, underworld version of Oz where everything is either pink or made from potatoes to please the nasty twins - Bling-Bling and Coco).
The story soon becomes a race to save the ruby slippers and the girls begin to unravel a little bit of Ivy's secret past.

I found the story to be perfectly silly and creepy at the same time. The girls each have strengths and weaknesses that help them navigate through Spoz, and give the story a great start for the rest of the series that is yet to be published. If you liked The Wizard of Oz (book or movie), and books like The Series of Unfortunate Events or Roald Dahl's classics, you are sure to enjoy this book!

Order this from Inkwood Books HERE