Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy

Book 3: The Great Powers Outage
By William Boniface
There's something strange going on in Superopolis! The entire population has turned its back on its favorite potato chips of all time. Everyone has switched to the Amazing Indestructo's Amazing Pseudo-Chips. And all because someone named Comrade Crunch told them to. The Superheroes in town can't solve the problem because they are slowly losing their powers -- could this be a job for Ordinary Boy?
J BON

The Cabinet of Wonder

the Kronos Chronicles: Book 1
By Marie Rutkoski
Petra Kronos has a simple, happy life. But it's never been ordinary. She has a pet tin spider named Astrophil who likes to hide in her snarled hair and give her advice. Her best friend can trap lightning inside a glass sphere. Petra also has a father in faraway Prague who is able to move metal with his mind. He has been commissioned by the prince of Bohemia to build the world's finest astronomical clock. Petra's life is forever changed when, one day, her father returns home - blind. The prince has stolen his eyes, enchanted them, and now wears them. But why? Petra doesn't know, but she knows this: she will go to Prague, sneak into Salamander Castle, and steal her father's eyes back.
J RUT

Saturday, January 10, 2009

ALCATRAZ vs The Scrivener's Bones

By Brandon Sanderson

The Evil Librarians are still up to their antics and it's up to Alcatraz Smedry to put a stop to it! This second book will take Alcatraz and company on an exploration of the Library of Alexandria, which -- despite Librarian rumors -- was never destroyed. It is a mysterious place and everyone knows that it holds dark secrets. Can Alcatraz, with his talent for breaking things, break into this secret world? Or will the Evil Librarians once again prevail?
J SAN

From Russia With Lunch

A Chet Gecko Mystery
By Bruce Hale

Chet's latest case takes a turn for the weird when his favorite teacher is replaced by the Bibliomalgamator -- a strange contraption invented by the school's newest staff member (who is really a Russian scientist.) Can Chet get the school back to normal?
J HAL

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Science Fair

By David Barrry
"Grdankl the Strong, president of Kprshtskan, is plotting to take over the American government. His plan is to infiltrate the science fair at Hubble Middle School, located in a Maryland suburb just outside Washington. The rich kids at Hubble cheat by buying their projects every year, and Grdankl's cronies should have no problem selling them his government-corrupting software. But this year, Toby Harbinger, a regular kid with Discount Warehouse shoes, is determined to win the $5,000 prize-even if he has to go up against terrorists to do it. With the help of his best friends, Tamara and Micah, Toby takes on Assistant Principal Paul Parmit, aka "The Armpit", a laser-eyed stuffed owl, and two eBay buyers named Darth and the Wookiee who seem to think that the Harrison-Ford-signed BlasTech DL-44 blaster Toby sold them is a counterfeit. What transpires is a hilarious adventure filled with mystery, suspense, and levitating frogs."
J BAR

Green Algae and Bubble Gum Wars

by Annie Bryant
Beacon Street Girls
Science isn't exactly Maeve's favorite subject, but she's still excited to be going to the Sally Ride Science Festival at MIT with her hunky tutor, Matt. Sure, the BSG and her annoyingly brilliant younger brother are going as well, but it's still almost kind of a date, isn't it?
The festival gives the BSG a super idea -- an environmental science fair at Abigail Adams Junior High. But plans for a bubble gum factory nearby put Avery and Katani on opposite sides of an environmental issue -- and Avery finds herself in a bubble gum war with the Queens of Mean!
J PB BRY

Chains

By Laurie Halse Anderson

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

Great research makes this a good example of historical fiction.

J AND