Darkside by Tom Becker
Summary:
Through the prologue, the reader learns Ricky has gone missing, abducted!
Jonathan Starling has been self-sufficient for some time and his father has always been distant. Often spending countless hours in his secretive study, Jonathan’s father, Alain, has not spent a lot of “quality” father-son time with Jonathan. When, once again, Alain becomes ill and experiences one of his “darkenings”, Jonathan finds himself alone. This is the perfect chance to investigate his father’s secret study, which leads Jonathan to the Darkside, a mysterious and seedy side of London. Jonathan also comes under attack, and Alain refers him to Carnegie, a resident of the Darkside for protection. Jonathan needs Carnegie’s protection as he is being hunted for an evil form of Darkside entertainment, while Ricky has already been captured for this purpose.
To the Lightside of London, it appears that Jonathan has also gone missing.
Residents of the Darkside are hunting for Jonathan, while authorities of the Lightside are also searching for Jonathan. Who will find him first? Will good win over evil? Will Jonathan and Ricky survive? Come over to the Darkside to find out…if you dare.
Review:
Full of mystery, vampires and werewolves, and a dose of history, this was a wonderfully suspenseful book that I could not put down! It was eerie enough that I wanted to continue reading, but not full of gore that it was too gross to read. The best part of this book was its unexpected twist during which I let out an audible gasp as I read it! I am not alone in my opinion of this book. The Lincoln Middle School book club read this book for its March selection. All participants gave this book a 10! Luckily, the series continues with Lifeblood. Available in the UK, the series contains 5 books in total which many American readers anxiously await.
Awards:
2007 Waterstone's Children's Book Prize
Links:
For more spookiness, or to learn about the author, visit the Darkside http://www.welcometodarkside.co.uk/index.tao?PageId=home
Monday, March 22, 2010
The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
Summary:
During a visit by cousin Salim and his mom Gloria to Ted and Kat’s house, the three cousins decide to ride the London Eye. While standing on line to the large “Ferris wheel”, they are offered a ticket. They accept the ticket and agree that Salim should enjoy the ride while Ted and Kat wait. After they watch him embark and they wait for 30 minutes, Salim does not get off the wheel when Kat and Ted expected. Salim has vanished. During the next few days, Ted and Kat work together to solve Salim’s disappearance. Meanwhile, Aunt Gloria and mom Faith are distraught. Ted, described with traits of Asperger’s syndrome (although never explicitly diagnosed) and Kat devise and investigate 9 theories of Salim’s disappearance. One will be correct, but will it be too late to save Salim?
What a fun read! Would I say it’s my favorite book? No, but a satisfying read all the same! The investigation undertaken by Kat and Ted kept me turning the pages. I was also intrigued by how Dowd consistently used weather conditions to describe the characters or scenes of the book. Additionally, I believe the (British) English vernacular will offer the American reader their own chance to act as context clue investigators as they decipher new phrases. My one complaint about this book is the too tidy ending that I believe students may figure out before it is explained. I decided to display this book on the circulation desk and it has received excellent and amazingly-positive responses from students who have already read it.
Awards:
WINNER 2008 - Book Sense Children's Pick List
WINNER 2008 - School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
WINNER 2008 - Booklist Children's Editors' Choice
WINNER 2008 - Horn Book Fanfare
WINNER 2008 - Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books
WINNER 2008 - Book Links Lasting Connection
Links:
Learn more about the author, Siobhan Dowd, and her Siobhan Dowd Trust at http://www.siobhandowdtrust.com/.
Learn more about the London Eye at http://www.londoneye.com/.
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake
The Skin I’m In by Sharon Flake
Maleeka is an African-American girl whose skin is darker than other black students in her class. She is teased for the color of her skin and for her clothing (which her mother sews). Maleeka’s “friends” are not true to her, but treat her in a degrading way. They “make” her do things that she would not ordinarily do, or want to do. A new teacher joins the school whose dark face is discolored with a “giant white stain.” Maleeka’s “friends” convince her to act out against the new teacher, while the new teacher proves to be one of the best friends Maleeka could have.
Links:
Learn more about Sharon Flake at http://www.sharongflake.com/
Learn more about the John Steptoe New Talent/Coretta Scott King Award at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/emiert/corettascottkingbookawards/winnersa/newtalentawarda/newtalentaward.cfm
Maleeka is an African-American girl whose skin is darker than other black students in her class. She is teased for the color of her skin and for her clothing (which her mother sews). Maleeka’s “friends” are not true to her, but treat her in a degrading way. They “make” her do things that she would not ordinarily do, or want to do. A new teacher joins the school whose dark face is discolored with a “giant white stain.” Maleeka’s “friends” convince her to act out against the new teacher, while the new teacher proves to be one of the best friends Maleeka could have.
Links:
Learn more about Sharon Flake at http://www.sharongflake.com/
Learn more about the John Steptoe New Talent/Coretta Scott King Award at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/emiert/corettascottkingbookawards/winnersa/newtalentawarda/newtalentaward.cfm
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
Cole Matthews, the main character of Touching Spirit Bear, is a self-centered and angry boy. After attacking another boy, Peter Driscoll, and smashing Peter’s head into the concrete, Cole Matthews must face the consequences. In lieu of receiving jail time, he is banished to an island off the coast of Alaska through a program called Circle Justice, which aims to heal all people involved. However, the same anger that leads to Cole’s banishment also destroys his chance of survival on the island and success in the program. Within the first few days on the island, Cole burns down his shelter and supplies, unsuccessfully swims away from the island, and is attacked by the Spirit Bear. Just days after arriving on the island, Cole lays near death. Will he survive? Will he grow out of his self-centered and angry ways? Will anyone, including Cole and Peter, heal through this program? Read Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen to find out.
If you are looking to read about a character who will frustrate you, read this book. If you are looking for a character who you’ll end up feeling sorry for, read this book. If you are looking for a story that will make you feel a wide range of emotions, read this book. At first, I didn’t like the character Cole for the monstrous things he did. Then, I felt sorry for him. Finally, I was rooting for him! My one complaint about this book was that I wanted the story to continue. Luckily, it does in Mikaelsen’s sequel “Ghost of Spirit Bear.”
Awards:
YALSA best Book for Young Adults, ALA - 2002
North Dakota Flicker Tale Award - 2002
Nautilus Award for Young Adult Literature - 2002
California Young Reader Medal - 2003
Nevada Young Reader Award - 2003
Wisconsin Golden Archer Award - 2004
Florida Sunshine State Award - 2004
Nebraska Golden Sower Award - 2004
The Wyoming Soaring Eagle Award - 2004
Minnesota Maude Hart Lovelace Book Award – 2004
Links:
Learn more about Ben Mikaelson at http://www.benmikaelsen.com/
Read another review at KidsRead.com: http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0380977443.asp
Cole Matthews, the main character of Touching Spirit Bear, is a self-centered and angry boy. After attacking another boy, Peter Driscoll, and smashing Peter’s head into the concrete, Cole Matthews must face the consequences. In lieu of receiving jail time, he is banished to an island off the coast of Alaska through a program called Circle Justice, which aims to heal all people involved. However, the same anger that leads to Cole’s banishment also destroys his chance of survival on the island and success in the program. Within the first few days on the island, Cole burns down his shelter and supplies, unsuccessfully swims away from the island, and is attacked by the Spirit Bear. Just days after arriving on the island, Cole lays near death. Will he survive? Will he grow out of his self-centered and angry ways? Will anyone, including Cole and Peter, heal through this program? Read Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen to find out.
If you are looking to read about a character who will frustrate you, read this book. If you are looking for a character who you’ll end up feeling sorry for, read this book. If you are looking for a story that will make you feel a wide range of emotions, read this book. At first, I didn’t like the character Cole for the monstrous things he did. Then, I felt sorry for him. Finally, I was rooting for him! My one complaint about this book was that I wanted the story to continue. Luckily, it does in Mikaelsen’s sequel “Ghost of Spirit Bear.”
Awards:
YALSA best Book for Young Adults, ALA - 2002
North Dakota Flicker Tale Award - 2002
Nautilus Award for Young Adult Literature - 2002
California Young Reader Medal - 2003
Nevada Young Reader Award - 2003
Wisconsin Golden Archer Award - 2004
Florida Sunshine State Award - 2004
Nebraska Golden Sower Award - 2004
The Wyoming Soaring Eagle Award - 2004
Minnesota Maude Hart Lovelace Book Award – 2004
Links:
Learn more about Ben Mikaelson at http://www.benmikaelsen.com/
Read another review at KidsRead.com: http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0380977443.asp
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