Do You Like "The 39 Clues"?

Scholastic has a new series launching this August that should be tailor-made for fans of "The 39 Clues." Following the same formula of kids traveling around the world while bad guys try to stop them, "Infinity Ring" separates itself from "The 39 Clues" with a big twist. It's a time traveling adventure. Look for my column in Lowcountry Parent, Palmetto Parent, Upstate Parent, KC Parent or The Post and Courier newspaper for a full review. The column should appear in September at the latest. Until then, happy reading!

So Mysterious

I understand that you don't always have time to sit and read a thorough review , so I like to offer quick little reviews from time to time. 

"Vanishing Acts: A Maggie Brooklyn Mystery"

By Leslie Margolis

For Ages 8 - 12

A mysterious dog egger, a missing teen heartthrob, some quirky characters and little teen romance fill out this Maggie Brooklyn mystery. Rated 3 (mystery, romance, father/son relationship) 

The pacing is steady but the action is not what really keeps this story moving. It’s all about the relationships. Whether its Maggie’s budding romance or the relationship between a teen movie star and his father, the characters and dialogue are well-developed and honest.

What’s good: Great character development.

What’s bad: A glut of adolescent teen mysteries on the market.

"Sleuth or Dare: Partners in Crime"

By Kim Harrington

For Ages 8 - 12

If the "Nancy Drew Mysteries" were combined with "The Babysitter's Club" you would end up with something like "Sleuth or Dare." 

Rated 3 (mystery, school, mild scares)

Best friends Darcy and Norah create a fictional detective agency for a class project and things are great until a real client hires them for a missing person case. What do they do when a threat is left in a school locker? Can they stick with the case until they solve it? The mystery is fun and dangerous.

What’s good: Good character development and strong friendships.

What’s bad: The mystery is a little easy to solve

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Storm Season

We've already had a tropical storm this year along the east coast of the U.S. And now that we are in hurricane season I am sure there will be plenty more to follow. So it is as good a time as any to read some books that revolve around storms. Roland Smith's "Storm Runners" Fills your Summer with Adventures and Excitement

“Storm Runners" (Series)

By Roland Smith

For Ages 9 – 12

     Roland Smith brings his signature intensity to these three books. Each is about 150 pages in length and you won’t want to put them down until you're finished. Notice: You have been warned! Rated 4.5 (adventure, peril, heroism)

     In “Storm Runners” we’re introduced to Chase Masters, a 13-year-old boy with survival smarts. His mother and sister were killed in a car accident and his father was struck by lightning. Soon after the lightning strike Chase and his father hit the road fixing people’s houses after big storms. They thought they had seen and prepared for everything until they run into "the hurricane of the century" in Florida. One disaster after another are hurled at Chase and two of his classmates, Nicole and Rashawn, as they struggle to survive the night and find their families.

     In the second book, "The Surge," our heroes have safely made it through the night and managed to make it to Nicole's family farm. Now they are facing entirely new dangers. Her family farm happens to be the winter home of the Rossi Brothers' Circus and the animals are loose. This includes the lions and a very nasty leopard. Flood waters are rising, the kids need to find higher ground and one of the circus elephants is about to give birth and cannot be moved. It's another nail biter.

     Roland pulls out all the stops in the final book, “Eruption.” The Rossi Brothers’ Circus has gone missing after an earthquake in Mexico and Chase is part of the rescue team headed south of the border to find them. This time the gang faces more circus animals on the loose, the eruption of Mount Popocatepetl, landslides and much more as they search for the circus and Nicole’s mother.

     The action and adventure offer non-stop excitement and peril. Even the most reluctant reader will have a difficult time taking a break. The teen characters are well developed and smart. Although these books may be most appealing to boys, there are strong female characters that will keep girls interested as well. The only real drawback is the big finale. It’s a little too far-fetched and neatly wrapped up. Most young readers won’t let the ending stop them from wishing there was another book in the series though. This is definitely a fun and enjoyable series for light summertime reading.

Vamp It Up

I have spent the last three weeks dealing with an awful case of poison ivy and poison sumac. Between scratches I was able to read a few books. So here is my first review back from the edge of itching insanity.

"The Vampire Stalker"

By Allison Van Diepen

For Ages 12 - 16

     Think "Twilight" meets "Inkheart." Vampires leap from the pages of a popular book series into modern day Chicago and adventure and mayhem ensue. Rated 3.75 (vampires, romance, violence) 

     Amy is a 17-year-old fan of the popular "Otherworld" books. She has become so infatuated with the sordid adventure series, that she has fallen in love with the main character, Alexander. He is a brooding and very handsome vampire hunter. When Alexander and his arch-nemesis Vigo unknowingly enter our world it doesn't take long for panic to take hold in the city. Amy befriends Alexander and helps him discover a way back to his world. But before he can go back they have to find Vigo and kill him.
     It's not a new idea -- bringing characters from the pages of a book to life -- but Van Diepen does a good job keeping the story lively and fun. Sure you have to suspend disbelief and that can be difficult at times. The fact that Amy's mother is so willing to let Alexander stay in their condo without any knowledge of who he is may be the hardest thing to believe. The teen relationships and dialogue are fairly accurate and entertaining. The action is sprinkled throughout to keep the tempo up. And when Amy's snotty younger sister is kidnapped by Vigo things get very intense.
     Unfortunately the whole book is a little too predictable, not that it will matter to most teen readers. The idea of overly romanticized vampires coming to life will appeal to many readers, especially young "Twilight" fans. 

I Wanna Rock!

American Idol ends tomorrow tonight and, I believe, that marks the end of the reality music competition shows for this season. Don't worry. Don't fret. I found a book that will bring the music to your house.

"So You Want to Be a Rock Star"

By Audrey Vernick

Illustrated by Kirstie Edmund

For Ages 4 - 10

Think rock 'n' roll camp in a book and you'll find the melody in no time. Rated 4.5 (rock 'n' roll, how to, music)

Are you ready to rock? Are your children inspired to bounce, sing and dance around the house by the pop stars from Disney and Nickelodeon? Then your budding rock stars will love this rollicking "how to" guide for air guitar, rock 'n' roll sneering and dressing for stardom. Definitely not for bedtime, Vernick's text encourages readers to get up strike a pose, singly loudly and prepare for a lot of fans. And anyone who has a TV show and a "you-ride"at an amusement park had better learn how to sign their autograph.

Edmund's highly graphic and retro illustrations complement the rambunctious text with a playful style that brings out the colorful qualities of rock 'n' roll. Parents and children can really let loose and have a good time with this refreshing tale... again and again.

Sweet Treat for Light Summer Reading

I have been reading a ton of books over the past month. Now I have to begin posting the reviews. That's always the difficult part. Deciding what to say and how to say it can be tricky when you want to say something good. But it's arduous when you feel you have to say something negative. Sometimes I get those feelings before I even read a book. This was one of those times.

"Confectionately Yours: Save the Cupcake!"

By Lisa Papademetriou

For Ages 9 - 13

If you have read "Finally" or "13 Gifts" by Wendy Mass, you'll enjoy the "Confectionately Yours" series by Lisa Papademetriou. Add a little celebrity chef into the mix and you'll get a zesty look at the life of a young teen girl. Rated 4.5 (cupcakes, friendship, divorce)

     

     I didn't know what to think when I picked this book up. It looked cute. Quite possibly the perfect book for a young teen girly-girl. Then I began reading and discovered a surprisingly layered story stuffed in the pages of this relatively short paperback book. Hayley is a young teen dealing with a divorce, a new house and a best friend that seems to be drifting away. Hayley, her sister and her mother move in with her grandmother until they can get back on their feet. In the meantime they help out around the grandmother's proper English tea room. Hayley has a knack for baking sumptuous cupcakes and sells her creations at her mother's shop. 

     Papademetriou crams a great deal of conflict into the very fast read. There's old friends who drift apart, new friends who come together, protests against the school board, a flourishing business, dad's girlfriend and your basic early teenage relationships. The dialogue is excellent and the pacing superb. Once you begin this sweet tale you never want to put it down. It doesn't hurt that Hayley's cupcake recipes are scattered throughout the book. I can't wait to try a few out.

     The fight to save bake sales at school is front an center in this story with several of the subplots sprouting from the actions surrounding the fight for sweet treats. Personally, though, my favorite part of "Save the Cupcake!" was the relationship between Hayley and her grandmother. 

     As a series I can only hope the rest of the "Confectionately Yours" books are as tasty to read as this one. .

"You Have to Stop This"

What do you think about pseudonyms? Mark Twain, Lemony Snicket, Richard Bachman and George Orwell are some pretty famous ones. How many of these author's real names can you remember? In children's books, pseudonyms have become a large part of the marketing. I recently read the last book in a series with a particularly creative pseudonym for the author. Enjoy the review.

“You Have to Stop This”
By Pseudonymous Bosch
For Ages 9 – 12
The fifth and final book of the “Secret” series finds our heroine Cass struggling to discover the secret and keep it a secret from her friends. Full of action, magic, mystery and a mummy. Rated 4.25 (mystery, action, peril)

If you’ve read the other four books in this series, you already know what to expect. If this is your first foray into this series, close this book and put it down. You need to read the others first.
    
“You Have to Stop This” begins quickly when Cass discovers an ancient Egyptian ring in the trunk of treasures left to her by her elfin ancestor. The discovery just happens to coincide with a world-class mummy exhibit opening in town. Coincidence? There is no such thing in these stories. When Cass accidentally breaks a finger off the prize attraction at the museum the chaos begins. It does not take long for Cass, Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji to begin battling the invisible Lord Pharaoh. Both want to be the first to place the ring on the broken finger and discover the secret.

It’s a fast-paced, quirky, fun, mysterious, strange and entertaining adventure. Bosch does a good job of continuing the character development from the earlier books, inserting multiple plot twists and maintaining the battle of good versus evil without ever losing his touch of whimsy. Kids with imagination will love the final installment and wonder – is it really the end?