First Light by Rebecca Stead.

Peter is very excited to be joining his parents on a scientific trip to Greenland.  His father is studying global warming, and his mother is happily joining him to work on her book.  While Peter is happy to go, he is also dealing with headaches and strange visions that come out of nowhere. 

Thea has never left her home beneath the ice, a place of safety for her people when they fled persecution on the surface.  Thea believes that her people need to find a way to the surface, even though her own mother died during a similar search.  Now if Thea can only convince others in her community that it is worth the risk.

The two stories of these teens are very different, yet meld into something much more complete when together.  The skill of weaving the two worlds together is evident in the balancing; neither story dominates.  Skill was also necessary when the two worlds collide and neither story is sacrificed at that point either.  Equally important are the twists and turns of the story itself.  At some points the reader will think they understand it all, just to have it twisted away from them, creating a very thrilling read.  Characterization is strong, with even secondary characters having unique personalities and perspectives.  There is a real depth to the story, made even deeper by the presence of global warming, social persecution, and destiny. 

Highly recommended, this book offers unique world-building without leaving earth.  Should be recommended to teen lovers of both science fiction and fantasy who are ready for some depth that doesn’t compromise the ease of reading. 

Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst.

This book is a great twisty ride through fairy tales.  Julie has a secret under her bed, a huge mass of vines called the Wild.  Julie is sick of living with fairy tales all around her.  Her mother, Rapunzel is always catering to the seven dwarfs.  Her brother, Puss-in-Boots, is only interested in finding a girlfriend.  It would be hard enough being a normal kid in junior high, but Julie has all sorts of additional pressures because of her family.  When someone makes a wish at the guarded wishing well, it releases the Wild which begins to grow and absorb Julie’s entire town.  Because Julie is one of the only people who understands the dangers but is not part of a story, it falls to her to save her family in the Wild.

The writing here is straight-forward and welcoming.  I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of a modern teen into the frightening and often horrifying world of fairy tales.  Particularly nice is the use of the real versions of tales where people are eaten, maimed, and murdered, rather than the sugar-coated versions we often feed our children.  Julie is a wonderful heroine, filled with spunk, humor and angst.  Her reluctance to be a hero is wonderfully portrayed as are all of the little fairy tale touches. 

Recommended highly for tweens, especially those who enjoy some fantasy.  I would also recommend it to older elementary children in grades 4-6.  There is nothing particularly “teen” in the book except the protagonist’s age, making it a perfect gateway book to teen novels. 

The Witch’s Child by Arthur Yorinks, illustrated by Jos. A. Smith.

If you are looking for a great creepy Halloween book, this is it!  Even better, it isn’t technically a Halloween book, so you could use it anytime you want a good scare.

Rosina is a horrible, mean witch.  She was powerful enough to give herself anything she wanted, except a child.  One October night, she builds herself a daughter out of straw and leaves and clumps of hair.  But she cannot bring her Rosalie to life.  She tries different things to bring Rosalie to life, but nothing works, so she discards her and forgets about her.  Then one day, a young girl enters the witch’s house, finds Rosalie, and lavishes her with affection.  The witch returns to find this child holding her forgotten daughter and it fills her with rage.  But as she moves to attack the girl…

Would I spoil the ending?!  Tee hee! 

The language and illustrations of this picture book both contribute to the creepy theme.  Yorinks has little touches throughout the book that make it all the more shivery.  The first page of the book, featuring the witch flying toward the reader without a broomstick, just flying, is paired with some very atmospheric writing that will have children clutching each other when you read it aloud.  The witch turns children into thorny bushes, a horrible fate, but then Yorinks adds that they are “stunted and prickly and rooted to the ground.”  The witch grabbing a “long knife” to attack the girl is wonderful, as is the pacing of that section where each beat brings the tension up a notch.  Whew!  And the illustrations are right there too, increasing the tension, adding to the horror, creating a witch without a broomstick or pointed hat that is all the more horrible for missing those details.  There is nothing cartoonlike or comforting about this witch.

Recommended for reading aloud at Halloween parties in classrooms for grades 2-4.  Children as young as 5 will enjoy the story, but the nuances will be appreciated by slightly older children who want a good thrill with their Halloween goodies.

Prickly Sea Stars by Natalie Lunis

This book is part of the No Backbone! series that focuses on invertebrates.  The book offers fascinating glimpses of the world of sea stars or starfish.  Take a close look at the eyespots that sea stars use to see on the tips of their rays.  Or be amazed at the way that starfish eat by pushing their stomachs out of their mouths and into the shells of clams and mussels.  Readers will also be astounded by the colors and textures of these animals.

The glory of this book is the photography which offer close examination of sea stars in all of their variety.  The images are bright, clear and illustrative of the points being made in teh text.  The text of this nonfiction book is accessible, friendly, and interesting.  It will be appropriate for first and second grade readers to read on their own, but interested children as young as 3 and 4 would be able to learn all sorts of facts when it is read aloud to them.