A Cool Moonlight by Angela Johnson (0-8037-2846-8)
This short novel for children is about Lila, a girl with a rare sun allergy that prevents her from being exposed to any sunlight at all. Lila lives in darkness ans plays by moonlight, dreaming of being able to dance in the sun someday.
Johnson’s writing is both spare and evocative, capturing the magical quality of playing outside at night. The characterization of Lila is superb, giving readers a true glimpse of someone living in a unique situation.
I would recommend this for children who understand the appeal of exploring a character. I would also use this as a read-aloud in a classroom, because it would lead to interesting discussions on people who are different yet the same as us.

East by Edith Pattou (0-15-204563-5)
This book is a retelling of the tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon. It is the story of Rose who agrees to go with a white bear so that her sister can be healed and her family can prosper. The bear has been under an enchantment for 150 years that turned him from a boy into a bear. Rose lives with the bear in a palace that she is not allowed to leave. She is given no information on why she is there. The story is a detailed one that has aspects that entrance the reader. I don’t want to go into too many details here, because the story should be discovered as it progresses in the book.
If anyone is looking for books with strong female protagonists, this would be one to recommend. Rose is strong, faithful and brave. She is a fully formed character that comes alive in the story. The story is told from a variety of points of view, including Rose, the bear, the Troll Queen and Rose’s brother Neddy. This allows the reader to know more than Rose does about her situation, so the reader is not frustrated like Rose about not knowing about the cause and reason of her plight.
I strongly recommend this book for kids willing to tackle the nearly 500 pages. Though it is listed as a young adult book, there is nothing to stop a younger reader from reading it. It is pure adventure that will often have you reading faster and faster to see what happens.

Friction by E. R. Frank (080721647X) published by Listening Library
Friction is a book about Alex, a girl who attends an alternative school along with her best friend, Tim. When a new girl shows up at school, Alex tries to be her friend, but Stacy starts telling lies about Alex’s relationship with her teacher, Simon. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, Alex begins to wonder if Stacy is telling the truth about Simon.
Sexual abuse is an important topic for YA novels to grapple with and Frank does a nice job of capturing the naivety of a young girl and her confusion about sexuality. There is no mystery for the reader here, but instead a captivating character study in Alex.
Teen readers will relate to Alex and understand her confusion. Adult readers will feel echoes of their own childhoods. Frank does an impressive job of handling this subject matter with no sensationalism and with great empathy and warmth for all of the characters.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (0-375-82400-6)
When I went to library school, we had someone come to our YA lit class and talk about gay literature for teens. In all of the books at that time, the gay teen in the books died at the end or in some way disappeared until Annie on My Mind came out.
Now we have this book which once again revolutionizes gay literature for young adults. Imagine a community where gay kids are just as normal as straight, where P-FLAG is as large a program as the PTO, where love is still confusing and hard, where two boys can kiss on the front steps of a school with no stares or whispers, where everyone is accepted. If you can’t imagine that, then you have to read this book. It is a realization of what the world could be like if homosexuals were treated the same way as heterosexuals.
Amazing book with nothing more graphic than kissing. This is one that should be shared and discussed.

The Dirty Cowboy by Amy Timberlake, pictures by Adam Rex (0-374-31791-7)
Whoooowheeeee! What a wonderful book filled with pictures that make you laugh out loud and a text with a rollicking rhythm. I particularly enjoyed the illustrations during the cowboy’s bath when different objects are positioned to hide delicate areas. What a hoot!
This one is a great read aloud, though the illustrations are so great that it makes a good lap book as well so one can linger over them. Use this one to hook boys.

The Dream Bearer by Walter Dean Myers (0-06-029522-8)
I had read rave reviews of this title on some of the children’s lit lists that I am on. How right they all were! David is scared of his father Reuben and his mental illness and then there is his brother Ty who is hanging with a new tough crowd. Luckily, David also has his loving mother and his best friend to keep him balanced. Then a strange old man, Moses, enters the neighborhood, claiming to be over 300 years old and to be the bearer of dreams. Will David be able to make sense of his chaotic family with the help of Moses?
Walter Dean Myers is one of the greatest writers for teens and older elementary kids. This quiet and gripping story allows us to see into the heart and life of David and return to our own lives understanding our own dreams and lives better. What could be better?

The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig by Jacqueline Briggs Martin (0-618-07436-8)
What a title! And what a great read aloud story. The text has a rolling feeling, rather like ocean swells, that carry the reader forward. This strange combination of animal story, history and the gift of dousing, creates a magical story in a gentle way.
This book is not one that will fly off the shelves without some pushing, but children who do have it read to them will be amazed by dousing and will want to immediately head out and find a forked stick to try it out with. I would use it at a storytime for older children, probably as the first book while they are open to more quiet titles. Match it with other more energetic sea and water books.

Alchemy by Margaret Mahy (0-689-85053-0)
I have adored Mahy’s work since discovering her in my young adult lit class in library school. I think my favorite of all of her books is The Changeover.
This is a book that is like reading classic Mahy all over again. She takes a normal situation and adds mysticism and magic to turn the world upside down. Yet, somehow even with the magic and mayhem occurring, one wonders if this worls she has created isn’t the actual world we live in.
In this book, we follow Roland, a teenage boy after he has shoplifted some inexpensive items. As punishment, he is forced to be kind and get to know Jess, a strange girl in his class who insists on being a loner.
I don’t want to say much more, because part of the joy of a Mahy book is slowly working your way into the world she is creating.
I would recommend this book to kids who enjoy fantasy, even though Mahy’s fantasies tend to be more personal and not filled with dragons and knights.

Ginger Finds a Home by Charlotte Voake (0-7636-1999-X)
This is a wonderful book featuring a little orange cat who doesn’t have a home except for a patch of weeds at the end of a garden. But he is found by a little girl who returns day after day to earn his trust and befriend him.
The book is great for storytimes featuring cat stories as a contrast to more fictionalized cats. Ginger is entirely realistic and completely heartwarming.