The tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

A wonderful heartwarming, stomach-filling story all about a too small mouse with too large ears and a more than human-sized sense of love and honour.

Highly recommended for any kid looking for an adventure story, though I’m sure it will only be on the shelf on the rarest of occasions. Newberry award winner.

The 39 Clues book one: The maze of bones by Rick Riordan

Imagine if you were given the choice between one million dollars or the first of 39 clues, which could, potentially, make you the most powerful person in the universe? Which would you choose?

This book probably doesn’t need any more hype, as I’m sure that all of the waiting lists at the public libraries are full enough--but but but—this book is worth the wait! Seriously. Seriously!

How do dinosaurs say goodnight? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

Nothing could be cuter than full-sized dinosaurs acting out the before bed tantrums of children. Just a few words per page paired with playful illustrations make it a perfect read aloud to young children. Sure to make even the most reluctant-to-bed chuckle.

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

Nomi Nicke is an articulate imaginative girl trapped in a repressive small-minded town. Her mother and sister have both vanished, and she and her devastatingly sweet, yet slightly delusion father both slowly spiral out of control. A popular award winner, written with wit and charm, though Nomi’s constant wit and charm grows boring after awhile. Awards: Young Adult Canadian Book Award (2005), Governor General’s Award (2004)

3 stars
256 pages

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Jennifer at age eight lost her best and only friend Cameron. Years later, she receives a birthday card from him in the mail. Sweethearts is a novel about what happens between two people who have gone through something difficult, confusing and overwhelming together. If you have ever gone though a huge change, or lost someone that you loved, you will appreciate Sweethearts.

5 stars
224 pages

Regifters by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel

Jen Dik Seong --- or Dixie as she’s known by her friends has a really bad temper. But that’s okay, because she is really into the Korean martial art Hapkido, where she can legitimately beat people up. She’s also really good at it. When her parents give her $100 dollars to compete in a national Hapkido competition, Dixie is tempted to use the money towards more romantic pursuits. If you want romance, some great fight scenes, wicked fast paced art and old-fashioned revenge you should read this awesome graphic novel.

154 pages
3 stars

Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms by Fumiyo Kouno

An unflopped manga is a challenge to read, and this challenge is compounded when the story is not action heavy. Fumiyo Kouno’s work, Town of Evening Calm, which follows the every day struggles of young men and women who lived through the Hiroshima bombing in 1945, is definitely worth the learning curve, as it handles the delicate subject matter with grace. Town of Evening Calm is comprised of two short interconnected novellas that show the intergenerational effects of the citizens who survived subtly rendered, with care and sophistication, and how fear of radiation illness effects every life decision. Winner of several awards including the Grand Prize at Japan Media Arts Festival.

3 stars