Forever Rose by Hilary McKay.

Return once again to the Casson family as they verge on disaster but always pull together as a family by the end of the story.  Rose is being left alone more and more as her sister Caddy has left, Saffy is busy with friends and school, Indigo is into his music, her father is away living in London, and her mother is in her shed feeling ill.  But maybe it’s worse when one of Indigo’s friends moves his drum set in and ruins her latest painting.  Certainly it is worse when she finally realizes what she has agreed to do with her friends at the zoo!  But it is far too late to back out by then.

McKay has such a deft hand with characters.  They are constantly surprising but true to themselves.  She is particularly wonderful at creating people with true flaws, but also making sure they are not only lovable but loved.  While one doesn’t wish to move in with the family, one would love to know them and be part of their world. 

Once again, a Casson novel that triumphs.  Highly recommended for readers ages 10-14, but only if they have read the rest of the series!

Clementine’s Letter by Sara Pennypacker.

Every time a new Clementine book comes out, my toes wiggle with glee.  I know that between those pages, I will find moments to laugh aloud, discover myself as a small child again, recognize my children, and simply sink into a wonderful book.  They never disappoint.

This third Clementine book has her bonding with her third grade teacher until he is nominated to go on a trip to Egypt.  Now Clementine has to cope with a new teacher who doesn’t seem to have the same rules while desperately trying to keep her old teacher from winning the award and leaving.  Clementine also has to try to do something extra nice for her mother because she is writing a story with her father.  It’s only fair to do things equally according to her friend Margaret. 

Once again I was charmed not only by the effervescent Clementine who walks her own walk and sees the world through her own special lens, but by her parents who love her simply for being herself.  Other adults are equally well drawn and complete as are the children around Clementine.  Add to that Frazee’s line art which constantly shows the field of chaos around Clementine as she moves through life, and you have such a believable and vibrant book that it is hard to put down.  In fact, I recommend having all three at hand, because you are going to want to start the entire series once again just to spend some more time with them.

Highly recommended as a readaloud, or for parents of children who don’t conform to what the world seems to expect, or for children themselves who have a good sense of humor and love to laugh.  Hey, it’s great for everyone.  Enjoy!

Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing with Fire by Derek Landy

This was one book I was thrilled to get my hands on at PLA, and it was even better than my high expectations.

Valkyrie Cain continues to find adventure at the side of the living-dead skeleton Skulduggery Pleasant.  This time Baron Vengeous has escaped prison and is attempting to bring the Grotesquery to life in order to bring back the Faceless Ones.  The Grotesquery is a monster created from different pieces of beasts from legend, brought together into one horrific and powerful being.  As they try to stop Baron Vengeous, Valkyrie and Skulduggery run into a variety of strange beings who have incredible powers and who are always ready for a good fight.  Fans of the first book will also be happy to see many of their favorite characters appear again.

A wild ride of a book, the battles are gory, choreographed and often funny.  The book continues the strong sense of humor, laugh out-loud commentary, and vibrant relationship of the two main characters.  Plenty of banter and wit as well as some deeper questions about life make this a winner of a novel. 

This is not a stand-alone title.  Readers must have read the first in the series to really appreciate this one.  Highly recommended for fans of action films and science fiction ages 10-14.

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry.

Leave everything you know about Lowry and her type of book behind.  Now you are ready to enter the world of The Willoughbys.  The four Willoughby children are not adored by their parents.  In fact, their parents are desperate to escape.  Luckily, the children felt exactly the same way.  So when their parents head out on dangerous adventures, leaving them with a capable nanny, the children are overjoyed but worried that their parents may one day return.  Add into the mix an abandoned infant, a desperately depressed millionaire, and long-lost children and you have this novel.

Lowry has captured with great zest, fun and life a vintage feel, tipping her hat to great works of children’s literature throughout.  Her tone is spot-on and at first child readers may wonder if it’s OK to laugh, but it certainly is.  The book is light, quick and a blast to read.  Giggling is to be expected.

I am a huge fan of Lowry ever since The Giver and this is a new type of writing for her.  What a risk to take, but what a winner of a novel resulted!  This would make a great class read aloud for older elementary students or will happily be curled up with by anyone with a sense of humor.  Fans of Lemony Snicket will enjoy it immensely.

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry.

Leave everything you know about Lowry and her type of book behind.  Now you are ready to enter the world of The Willoughbys.  The four Willoughby children are not adored by their parents.  In fact, their parents are desperate to escape.  Luckily, the children felt exactly the same way.  So when their parents head out on dangerous adventures, leaving them with a capable nanny, the children are overjoyed but worried that their parents may one day return.  Add into the mix an abandoned infant, a desperately depressed millionaire, and long-lost children and you have this novel.

Lowry has captured with great zest, fun and life a vintage feel, tipping her hat to great works of children’s literature throughout.  Her tone is spot-on and at first child readers may wonder if it’s OK to laugh, but it certainly is.  The book is light, quick and a blast to read.  Giggling is to be expected.

I am a huge fan of Lowry ever since The Giver and this is a new type of writing for her.  What a risk to take, but what a winner of a novel resulted!  This would make a great class read aloud for older elementary students or will happily be curled up with by anyone with a sense of humor.  Fans of Lemony Snicket will enjoy it immensely.

Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt (released on April 21st, 2008)

Schmidt has created another wonder of a work, completely different once again from his previous books but just as rich in language while remaining easy to read and devour.

Henry’s father always told him that if you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.  But Trouble finds their family anyway when Henry’s older brother is hit by a truck while out jogging.  The truck is driven by Chay Chouan, a Cambodian teen, sparking racial tensions that had been simmering for some time.  Henry is trapped between his deep admiration for his brother and the truth as it slowly emerges, changing forever his perception of what honor is, what brotherhood is and what strength is.

Schmidt’s language is amazingly clear yet evocative.  My copy of the book looks like a hedgehog from all of the passages I have marked.  Here is a favorite passage taken from a galley copy:

His mother reached out to Henry and drew him to her.  He could not remember another time when she had held him so tightly.  Or when his father — with eyes closed and his hands up to his face again– had looked so… empty– as if the soul had left his body, and his body understood that it would never come back.

Another nice piece is the beginning of chapter four where Schmidt describes the transformation of a town from a healthy industrial community to a ghost-filled desolation where eventually the Cambodian immigrants who understood ghosts came to live.  The first two pages of that chapter are breathtakingly brave and beautiful.

This book is filled not only with strong passages but with strong characters and complex situations that slowly reveal their complexity to Henry and the reader.  It is a joy to slowly work through the puzzle of the book, learning as each page turns and lingering over amazing language.

Highly recommended for readers ages 12-14.  Every library should have a copy of this book and make sure that children and teens who love to read will be exposed to the delight of this writing.

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor.

Addie has spent her life waiting for normal, but her mother is not capable of offering her that.  Now they are living in a trailer in a rough section of town, but at least they are together.  Addie’s ex-stepfather Dwight continues to be a strong figure in Addie’s life, making sure she gets to see her two younger sisters who live with him.   Addie finds pleasure in the community she finds herself in.  She makes friends at her new school as well as at the convenience store across the street from the trailer.  She finds balance and care outside of her mother.  But as her mother descends deeper and deeper into her own life, leaving Addie on the outside, Addie is forced to finally come to terms with the situation she finds herself in.

The characters in this novel are breathtakingly real.  Addie is a strong girl who struggles humanly in her situation.  Dwight is a hero of a stepfather, creating an alternative world for Addie to escape to every so often.  And Soula and Elliot are vivid characters who fill Addie’s lonely times when she’s home.  Even Addie’s mother is a well-rounded character, making the world so much more real and clear.  This is the story of so many children who live in broken homes, poverty, and carelessness.  Connor does not take it too far nor does she shrink from the dirty truth of the situation.  She walks a fearless line of truth through Addie’s life.

Even more impressive is the way that Connor uses symbolism that children will immediately be able to relate to.  Her book is more than a script, evoking the feelings of Addie with passages like this one on page 213:

“…while I was at the inn I started feeling like a Tootsie Roll Pop.  On the outside I was having a shiny-good colorful time.  But I could feel my chewy, gooey center squishing and squashing inside of me.”

Highly recommended for it’s strong writing, great characters, and grip on reality, I consider this one of the top novels for ages 10-12 this year.