Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Antsy Does Time, by Neil Shusterman

When Anthony Bonano (aka "Antsy") finds out that his friend only has a limited time to live as a consequence of a grave illness, he is so fueled by friendship and sympathy that he signs a month of his life over to his “dying” classmate Gunnar Umlaut. Soon everyone at school follows suit, giving new meaning to the idea of “living on borrowed time.” But Gunnar seems to have other issues, too: a father who is mysteriously absent and a "hot" sister who likes Antsy. Does Gunnar really have only six months to live, or is news of his imminent death greatly exaggerated? And will Antsy's father ever stop working enough to spend precious time with his family? The juxtaposition of these two families in this darkly comic novel will make every reader look at his own family in a new way.

Two Parties, One Tux, and a Very Short Film About The Grapes of Wrath, by Steven Goldman

When David tells Mitchell Wells he’s gay, Mitchell’s okay with it—but it still seems to change things between them. Since David’s not "out" to anyone else, the guys agree to be set up with prom dates by Mitchell's sister. Then, one of the most popular girls in school decides to date Mitchell, and he’s gone from zero to two girlfriends in sixty seconds. From his tanking English grade(a not especially realistic sub-plot) to his floundering friendships to his love life—the one thing that’s taken a bizarre turn for the better—Mitchell is so confused, he’ll be lucky if he lasts another week in high school! And then there’s the prom . . . Poignantly written, the loose plot lines are resolved a little too conveniently, spoiling a story whose characters are realistic and likeable. Note: graphic sexual descriptions may put some readers off. They get in the way of the important themes of finding one's own identity and being true to oneself.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

This is the first in the series called the Last Apprentice. Tom is the seventh son of a seventh son which gives him some unique gifts. Since there are few opportunities for seventh sons to find work, Tom is asked to apprentice the local spook. The spook deals with all the unearthly and unmentionable things in the land. He deals with boggarts, ghosts, and witches. Tom is reluctant to pursue such a career but with little other options becomes the apprentice. While his master is away Tom is tricked into aiding a imprisoned old witch. His error costs him dearly. The pace is quick and some of the horror parts quite graphic. Recommended for grades 7 - 12.