Once upon a time, there was a fabulous teen librarian who liked to read and to cook about as much as she loved to travel, and nearly as much as she loved a case of the terribles and her crusty sidekick, Le Creuset...
Haters gonna hate, but hopefully not on The Haters, a simultaneously witty, rude, and charming title by Jesse Andrews. Wes and Corey are headed to band camp. To be specific, jazz band camp.
They hate it. They join forces after one epic jam session with the only girl there, Ash (a stone cold vixen), who hates it with equal passion, prompting them to start a band and run away from camp to go on tour, ditching their cell phones and hitting the road. The problem is, who wants to hear a band that doesn’t even have a name? Can a human survive on red vines and chips? Can this band avoid their parents long enough to survive each other?
This book is as funny as it is heartfelt, but probably not for those who can’t handle overhearing a conversation with teenage boys (ie. sex, drugs, rock ’n’roll, and yes, dirty words). For the rest of us, it would be a shame to miss out going on tour with this crew. The book features a diverse cast, both racially and socioeconomically, and touches upon family issues as well as the general woes of coming of age. This is a must read if you’re into music, in a band, or need a book for a reluctant to read teenage boy or dude in your life!
Boy 21 by Matthew Quick Little, Brown and Company: Boston, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-316-12797-4
Basketball is more than a sport to introverted Finley and his girlfriend Erin. It has always provided an escape from their racially segregated and mafia ruled Philadelphia neighborhood, and the hardships in their daily lives. When Finn's coach asks him for his help and discretion with a new student arriving for their senior year, Finn doesn't hesitate. Boy 21, as the new kid is calling himself, believes he is an alien. He arrives under sad circumstances, so traumatized that the former basketball prodigy can now no longer even pick up a basketball. Despite the threat that Boy 21 poses to his starting point guard position, the boys are drawn to each other; Finn also knows about terrible truths you can't bear to voice. This mesmerizing novel is much more than a simple sports story. Compelling characters face their personal demons and find strength in friendship to heal and move forward. The dialogue is excellent and the description rich. This novel is a coup d'etat by Quick: reluctant male teenage readers will rip through this smart and well written novel before they can put it down. Strongly recommended for libraries serving teens grades 9-12, but younger readers looking to read up may enjoy it as well.
Book Talk Hook: The beginning of chapter 9, plus a brief summary, or some choice Boy 21 moments (some listed below)...I am so excited to add this one to my book talk stable!
Where Things Come Back
by John Corey Whaley
Atheneum: New York, 2011
ISBN 978-1-4424-133-7
In Lily,
Arkansas, population 3,947, nothing much ever happens on a regular basis;
people never seem to leave town permanently. That is, until the population drops to 3946 when 17-year-old
Cullen Witter’s 15-year-old brother Gabriel disappears, without a trace,
leaving Cullen, his family, his best friend Lucas, and the town reeling. The news of Gabriel’s disappearance,
however, is soon overshadowed by the rumor that the Lazarus mockingbird woodpecker,
believed extinct, has been spotted.
But Cullen, his family, and friends haven’t forgotten Gabriel; they are
left with more questions than answers, and each struggling to cope in their own
way. For Cullen, this means
girls, including his long-time crush, and a recently divorced young woman who
has returned to town, and actively hating the Lazarus. Two stories are seamlessly and satisfyingly woven
together in this short, yet rich debut novel, filled with Biblical references,
the frustration of growing up in a small town, and the well-crafted, realistic,
anguish of inexplicable loss. This
multiple award-winning book is recommended for older teens, grades 10 and
up.
A boy comes to in a
rising elevator. He is disoriented,
scared, and clueless as to where, or who, he is. He has no memory from life before, even of
how old he is, only that his name is Thomas. When he disembarks, he finds himself on what appears to be a
small working farm, populated only with other teenage boys. This, as he comes to find out, is the
Glade. The Gladers have lived here for
two years and also have no memories prior to their own arrivals. They have, however, discovered that the Glade
is located in the middle of a giant, treacherous maze, whose walls shift daily,
enclosing them inside nightly, protecting them from the monsters that lurk
beyond. But things are changing; the first ever girl arrives a day after
Thomas, in a coma, but clutching a note that simply says “She’s the last
one. Ever.” Thomas, begins feel like he remembers things
about the maze, and the mysterious girl, though he can’t fully recall what. He’ll have to, because the Gladers are facing
a whole new set of challenges: they’ve been cut off from all supplies, and the
walls have stopped shifting to protect them at night. Will they find a way out of the maze, and
discover who they are and why they are even inside it before it is too late? Because
of some violence and death, this book is recommended to middle school boys, and
will have appeal to fans of The Hunger
Games.
Book talk hook: (Yeah, I'm back on the sauce. For now.) Briefly summarize the disorientation experienced by Thomas, asking the group to close their eyes and imagine that feeling. Then continue with a brief summary, emphasis on the danger, excitement of trying to find a way out, and the shock at having a girl show up, bearing that super showstopper of a confusing message. Hook, line, stinkers!
Blink and Caution, by Tim Wynne-Jones Candlewick Press ARC - Publication date March 2011 ISBN: 978-0-7636-3983-9
Blink and Caution are two invisible Canadian runaways living rough in Toronto. Blink, actually homeless, has run from his abusive family and finds himself living day to day, surviving by playing The Breakfast Game, or sneaking into hotels to eat leftover room service. A fateful round of the Breakfast Game game leads Blink to witness what appears to be a crime, and leaves him chasing lose ends and a photo of the alleged victims daughter. Caution has been living running from her own demons and living with a drug dealing older boyfriend. She realizes he's cheating and makes off with his stash of money. Both on the run, the two meet when one robs the other but has a change of heart. It's not long before these two are reliant upon each other when they find themselves in cottage country Canada in this fast paced, high stakes adventure. Tim Wynne-Jones makes us feel their pain, shame, and pride in being strong enough to run away, but shows us they need to be lost to help each other find themselves. This Canadian thriller has a surprising ending, and is best for teens aged 13 and up for mild sexual references, business lingo, and some philosophical soul-searching.
While I enjoyed reading this book, I thought it would be a lot crazier in the action/adventure department so I'm in turn pleased but not extraordinarily enthused. Except about the Canada parts...which I will get to. I think it's because the stakes seem high until they are laid out and because SPOILER ALERT: nobody gets hurt at all. It's more a story of kids with nothing and nothing to lose finding themselves; like I said in the review proper, these lost kids needed to lose themselves to find themselves and recover from their respective pasts. I personally enjoyed the Canadian scenery; as an alumni of a certain university in Kingston, Ontario, I spent a goodly portion of the first half of the book eagerly awaiting their arrival. Having lived there in fall and winter, I assure you that when Tim Wynne-Jones describes the desolate color of the sky ("The sky over Kingston looks like someone stuck a giant syringe into it and sucked out all the color," p 181), he is not exaggerating. Nor is he exaggerating when he describes the location of the Sleepless Goat and the Army Navy Surplus! It was like strolling down memory lane. Snaps for your invocation of vivid walks down Princess, Senior Wynne-Jones! You saved me a seven hour car ride and a trip through customs!
All in all, this is a fun book and while it may not be for everyone (judging from the somewhat anticlimcatic yet satisfying climax), it would be best for the 7th-9th grade crew (some mild sexuality and the need to understand why someone would choose to be lost required), and may be sellable to the type who only reads thrillers.
Book Talk Hook: Read the passage about Blink sneaking up to the lodge at the tail end of Chapter 29 - cliffhanger!
The Joshua Files: Invisible City. M.G. Harris (July 20, 2010). Walker & Co: NY. ISBN: 9780802720955.
ARC Copy from ALA Midwinter 2010.
Josh may be just your average English schoolboy, but his dad is a renowned Mexican archaeologist working on finding a lost ancient Mayan scroll foretelling the end of the world in 2012.But when he is killed in a very suspicious plane crash on a fact finding mission in Mexico, Josh is left with more questions than answers about his father’s work, his dealings with a beautiful young woman in Mexico, and most importantly, about whether or not the crash was actually an accident.Josh sets off to find the answers to his questions in Mexico with two of his friends, but things get fishy almost immediately and he is separated from them and on the run for his life in the Mexican jungle.Josh discovers not only what his father was looking, but also a city lost to the known world deep in the Mexican jungle, and more shockingly that his family is deeply entwined in the prophecy regarding the end of the world in 2012.This story is an adrenaline filled adventure with a several jolting pensive moments, and is peppered with interesting historical facts about Mayan civilization (like how to read hieroglyphs) and fun sci-fi twists.It is recommended for boys in grades 5-8, particularly series readers, as this appears to be the first of at least two (The Joshua Files).
I procured my ARC copy of this book back in January at ALA’s midwinter, when the pub date of May 2010 seemed a long way off.And look at todays date, when I am finally posting the review I just wrote.Well played, madam.Since I figured I needed to read more books clearly marketed to boys, it was the first in my giant stack I picked up, and I was actually pleasantly surprised, largely because the writing, unlike many of the boy market generated books, is actually pretty solid, and the story, while somewhat predictable at points, manages to feel original and exciting!The author isn’t afraid to shock his readers; I actually got a little teary after the loss of a certain character.Allegedly.With 2012 and the predicted end of the world around the corner, I think this is a fun book to pick up, and easy to sell to boys of the upper elementary/middle school years.Mostly, I really want to see the real cover.My ARC cover promises me that the “final cover will include special effect.”Like WHAT.Because magpie that I am, I like me some shiny things, Walker & Co.!
In related but not news, while going to post this, I discovered that it is not actually coming out until July 20th, and that the author is in fact a woman.To which I say well played, because I really thought that with the way this character thinks and talks, said androgynously named M.G.Harris did not possess a Y chromosome.Well played Lady Harris!Finally – what is up with the new cover?The art is really gorgeous...but my ARC cover is much more cool grown up thriller book looking.Behold:
If you are an eleven year old boy trying to look cool, which are you going to pick up? I think my point makes itself. But more importantly: Where are those promised special effects?
I've made the executive decision to start posting about the moste amusinge thingse that happen to me at work, because really, these gems should not go to waste. Particularly because it is only a matter of time before I make a clean dissociative break and start living under the name Shanequa D'nt Liveherenomo on my yacht in the Mediterranean, and FORGET THEM ALL! What a loss to all humanity that would be. A great and terrible tragedy, indeed.
SO. Today at work the following things happened to me, which helped me live up to one of my life goals. Specifically, to live by the song lyrics of Lady Gaga songs. You know, as they make so much sense and all. In this instance, a little ditty called Poker Face comes to mind.
CASE IN POINT:
- A mother and son duo chose to have a moste serious discipline conversation about said sons overdue fines while checking out, effectively making me the uncomfortable third party. Why do you do that parents? I mean, come on. Not cool. - A lively lad of approximately 10 minced about the library wearing a skunk-skin cap for approximately an hour. Yep. SKUNK-SKIN CAP. Upon check out, he stashed his videos in his Lady Grace plastic bag. Lady Grace, you guys. POKER FACE. Can I adopt you, awesome kid? - While his mum was checking out, a young lad of about three decided to tell me that he really needed to change his pants. Well, I needed to change my face. Thank you to Lady Gaga, I'm 99.9% sure that he couldn't read my, can't read my, no he can't read my poker face. In fact, I'm pretty sure homeboy can't read at all.
Need I mention it was a full moon? Because I just did.
The London Eye Mystery. Siobhan Dowd (2008). NY: David Fickling Books. ISBN: 9780375849763.
Once upon a time, a book with narrator diagnosed with any sort of mental disability, such as Aspergers, were unheard of, barring a certain type of book that sensationalized the crazy (cough cough, Bell Jar, Girl Interrupted, I’m pointing at you). Then, along came The Curious Incident of the Dogin the Nightime, which crept up beside us (and up the best seller charts) and suddenly, a more positive outlook and favorable portrayal of protagonists afflicted with mental handicaps wasn’t so strange or scandalous any more. Consequently, voices previously marginalized with mental health problems, particularly those with Aspergers, are now being heard more frequently, though not regularly, in popular fiction and literature. Just this year, Francisco X. Stork released Marcello in the Real World, a story told in the first person by a teenage boy with an Asperger-like condition (it’s on my To-Read shortlist, and totally has the most gorgeous cover of the year, in my always right opinion). However, these titles seem to reach a slightly older/teenaged audience, and don’t allow for much crossover to tweens and young teens. Three cheers then for The London Eye Mystery, which safely will amuse tweens, teens, and adults.
Ted Stark is our middle school aged protagonist who also happens to suffer from Aspbergers. He is extremely high functioning and intelligent, is obsessed with the weather, has some self-identified trouble recognizing body language in others, and describes himself as being wired slightly different than most people. Ted and family are thrown for a bit of a loop when his estranged Aunt Gloria and her son Salim come for a quick visit on their way to move to New York City. Salim and Ted bond, Salim shares his unhappiness about having to move and be lonely, and Ted tells us that he now is glad to have five real friends (his teacher, Mom, Dad and sister Kat are the other four). On a visit to the London Eye, Salim disappears, somewhere between getting on, and getting off the ride. Has he been kidnapped? Run away? Spontaneously combusted (one of Ted’s theories)? Kat and Ted are desperate to solve this mystery as the drama of a missing child case fills their lives and causes obvious tension and strain for everyone in the family. Ted, with his mind like a computer, and Kat, his sassy and bossy big sister, may be able to crack the case, but not before Ted learns how to tell a lie, Kat learns how to listen to Ted, and Ted learns a little bit more about how to blend in a world that doesn’t accept him as he is.
I think what I love about this book is that Dowd manages to capture Ted’s voice and alternative thought process in a way that feels both organic and authentic. It doesn’t feel like she’s trying too hard, or that she’s going for any easy, stereotypical cop-outs in creating this interesting and well developed character. She is extremely talented in getting us to see that Ted thinks and feels differently than we do, in his very unique and detached sort of way, but still manages to make him an empathetic, charming, and even funny character. I especially love the ongoing sub-plot within this book, in with straight arrow, logic loving, and 100% truthful Ted begins to see the merit in telling a little white lie every now and then. This story also handles the events surrounding a tragedy like a missing child very skillfully; we see and recognize he agony and the drama, but are somewhat removed from it because our narrator himself doesn’t feel like the others do, though feel the same emotions he does, in his own way.
Best for: Older middle school students (lads and ladies both), probably 12-14, mostly because the American edition of this book still contains a lot of British slang younger readers may find confusing (along with the narrative voice). Adults will enjoy this alter-narrative as well – especially you Brit culture vultures. You know who you are.
Book Talk Hook: I would read either the section in which Salim goes missing, orrrr read the scene of the first time Ted lies. I think the humor and the mystery are the best ways to sell this one to our target tweener audience.
The Sea of Monsters. Rick Riordan (2007).
NY: Miramax/Hyperion Books. ISBN: 978-1423103349
In honor of book 5 aka The Last Olympian dropping like it's hot AND because there is going to be a movie starring a ton of famous adult actor people (including a Hollywood crush of mine, Kevin McKidd, as Poseidon), I present to you, my pretend audience, my two cents on the second Percy Jackson book. I think I reigned it in pretty well in the review below, but my inner 12 year old fangirl is totally digging Percy Jackson, and I'll let my freak flag fly a little bit here before I start said review. I mean...what's not to love? Greek mythology? Check. Exciting fight sequences? Check. Interesting, personable, realistic protagonists? Check. A sense of humor and mucho jokes? Check.
For a chick who as a middle schooler used to stay in to watch Xena, who attended summer camp well into her 20's, and who still loves D'Aulaires book of Greek mythology, Rick Riordan has struck me with the literary equivalent of Cupid's Arrow. Looooooveeeee. Again, I say much of this below, but my love is not redundant. I love you, Percy Jackson. I'm sorry if that is weird because you are 12 or something. You just can't fight a love like ours, okay?*
Just a heads up...if you haven't read The Lightning Thief (aka book one in this series, stop reading now!).
We did a recent election in the Children's Room where I work to coincide with the presidential election. Instead of voting for a presidential candidate, kids were asked to vote for their all time favorite book. Not so shockingly, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series won in a landslide with kids grades 4-6. Not just a blow to the Series of Unfortunately Events, this is a book that needs only the fanfare of the first book and the word of mouth popularity that it has generated to convince the majority of kids to read it. I flippin' love this series too, and I can read at well above a 6th grade reading level (not to toot my own horn, kiddies). I'm not sure if the fact that I used to obsessively watch Xena Warrior Princess has anything to do with my chortling over the way Riordan cleverly inserts heroes, monsters and gods into this modern story (Aries looks like he's boss of a biker gang).
The Sea of Monsters is the second book in this awesome adventure series, which is yet unfinished (obviously now it is). Each of these takes on the shape of a Greek epic quest; this one is the Odyssey. Like the first book (The Lightning Thief), the story follows Percy Jackson, the demi-god son of Poseidon and a human woman, who has only recently learned that he's not just your average 7th grader. After the excitement of discovering his true identity, attending Camp Half-Blood, (a summer camp for the children of the Olympian gods) and surviving an ordeal to recover Zeus' stolen lightening bolt with his fellow demi-god Annabeth (daughter of Athena) and bestie Grover (who just happens to be a satyr), Percy has had a fairly normal school year for the first time in his life. Things go awry on the last day when a normal game of dodgeball turns into a fight for his life. Annabeth appears to save both Percy and his new bud, Tyson, only to let them know that things are looking pretty bleak down at Camp Half-Blood too; the magical borders that protect the camp grounds are shrinking. Percy, Annabeth and Tyson are catapulted into an adventure in the Sea of Monsters to save Camp Half-Blood, and along the way, Percy is bound to find out some more shocking things about his mysterious family.
Best for: Everyone. Even you, old people like me. Basically, if you liked Harry Potter, and you like adventure, and you like or know anything about Greek mythology, you'll probably enjoy these books. As my roommate says, "They're basically New York style Harry Potter." Well said, sage roomie. 4th grade and up for independent reading, but younger children will probably enjoy being read these books as well.
Book talk hook: I'm not entirely sure one is necessary…it is Percy Jackson and all! I think I would probably rather book talk the first rather than the second book, since it is a series that builds on itself, and I don't know that I would recommend just one random book out of it over recommending the whole shebang.
*And when the hard cover complete set of these books drops, I want to be the first to know, Amazon!
American Born Chinese. Gene Luen Yang (2006). NY: First Second. ISBN: 978-0312384487
I'm a reluctant reader of sorts, the graphic novel sorts. This is only the second graphic novel I've ever read, while I enjoyed the first, I wouldn't say I was eager to read another. This one caught my eye first, if I'm honest, because it is colorful, and second, if I'm honest, because it's short! By the end of the first section (it is in three parts), I was totally digging it for all the reasons I've avoided graphic novels in the past: the colorful, cartoony illustrations, the teeny thought bubble text, and the crazy emphatic action words. Perhaps it helps that this is a smart graphic novel, disguised as a comic book. This allows some weighty questions about racial identity and acceptance to sneak up on the reader, and not in an interfering way either.
Yang's story begins with three, seemingly unrelated stories: a retelling of the famous myth of the Monkey King, that of Jin Wang, the child of Chinese immigrants, and Danny, a Justin Timberlake lookalike with a crazy stereotypical Chinese cousin named Chin-kee (major play on words and into this stereotype) who is enrolling in Danny's high school during his extended visit. He gives each story ample air time, but the stories really shine when he begins to weave them together in an unanticipated fashion, which is really where the strength of the story lies. While each character has their own problems and challenges (the Monkey King desires equal god status, Jin Wang wants to fit in at his all white school, and Danny just wants to fly under the radar, while still getting the girl), these personal challenges have one common theme: acceptance, both of oneself, of others, and by others.
Best for: This book is fabulous and I highly recommend it. It covers weighty issues with no heavy lifting by employing the graphic and illustrative format, and consequently is an easy, yet sly sell to reluctant readers. This also makes it fun and accessible, and is great for both boys and girls of all YA ages. Also, I found out months after reading this that it won the Prinz in 2007. I salute you, my critically confirmed good taste. Self high five.
Book talk hook: The beautiful, colorful illustrations are all that I'd really need to sell this book to the audience I'd target for this at a book talk: young male readers. I'd probably do a summary, but since there is so much going on story wise, brevity is a wise choice.
Ender's Game. Orson Scott Card (2002). NY: TOR Books. ISBN: 978-0765342294
I am not a huge fan of sci-fi (except for Battlestar Galactica, secret geek love of my heart). I picked this book up thinking to myself "Ugh, I should probably read a sci-fi book, just so I'll know more about it and be able to recommend it, and this one is as popular as a jock in high school, so why not." Imagine my surprise when I found myself TOTALLY digging Ender's Game. I think what I love about BSG is what I found myself loving about Ender's Game: the psychological drama and mind games, and a story that doesn't revel in weird, heavy science fiction fantasy things. This, along with seeing the world through Ender's too-young-to-be-this-old eyes, marveling at his preternatural military genius, and trying to figure out who is really playing whom, is what really hooked me.
Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is six years old when he is taken from his family to go into intensive military training at Battleschool, a deep space training school for future military leaders. We learn from dialogue between high ranking military officials what Ender himself will learn soon enough: that he is the only hope for survival in the war between humanity and the buggers, an alien race which is seemingly hell-bent upon destroying humanity and colonizing earth. Ender leaves behind his beloved sister Valentine, and his maniacal and vicious older brother Peter, both geniuses in their own right. Ender advances rapidly through his training, pushed on by his own desire to win and his empathy, which allows him to understand others before using this to destroy them, should they prove to be an enemy. By the time he is 9, he has advanced to become the youngest army leader in the school, and shortly thereafter is promoted to Commander school - about 6 years ahead of schedule. He has revolutionized the way simulated battle games, the pinnacle of Battleschool education, are played. The teachers are unabashedly brutal with him, constantly pushing him to almost the breaking point, all in the hopes of turning him into the heroic commander they so desperately need to win. Before long, the lines between the game and reality are blurred. The ending to this part of the story is a nice twist, and while the real ending to the story is pretty good, it feels somewhat rushed compared to the rest of the story.
Best for: Because this book is somewhat complex, psychologically and politically, I'd hold off on recommending it to anyone under 13 that I didn't know well, simply because (and this may be a generalization) I'm not sure how many younger kids would fully understand the manipulations and games throughout. That being said, I'd probably still recommend it to eager younger readers who enjoy sci-fi because it is a rare sure thing. I think this is a fantastic book, and I feel confident about YA boys digging this (gender stereotypes, damn you!), along with girls.
Book talk hook: This is a book that I'd definitely need to gauge the crowd for. For example, I could see this as a military book (more of a sell for a crowd of younger, more reluctant reader boys), a psychological thriller ala the short story the Game (an older audience, both girls and boys), or as a straight sci-fi adventure (for sci-fi fans of all ages). I'd skew my summary of the plot towards the intended audience, and maybe to some Q&A type of things ("How many of you here think you can save the world? How many of you could outsmart a grown up at six?" etc.)
Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz (2001). NY: Philomel. ISBN: 0-399-23620-1 Well hello, Alex “Baby Bond” Rider. I’ve heard about you for years, mostly from the mouths of young boys who regularly wouldn’t be caught dead in the library, but were caught jonesing for a fix of your spy trickery. I see what the fuss is all about; you have super cool spy gadgets, super stealth intuition, acrobatic skillz, and a knack for finding yourself in sticky situations. You’re also kind of a badass. What’s not to love, if you are a 12 year old boy? Stormbreaker, and I assume the rest of the Alex Rider series, since I stopped here, is a kids eye view of/homage to the campiest of old school James Bond flicks, prior to Daniel Craig broodingly sexpotting it up (mmmmmm). You're welcome. I’ve got a theory that Alex is actually going to grow up to become 007, but hasn’t quite hit puberty yet, so out go the Bond girls and in come gadgets like zit cream that can burn through metal, and a Gameboy that also functions as a fax machine/x-ray machine/bomb. Horowitz tells Baby Bond’s story in an engaging and high adrenaline way, weaving in cheeky nods to the 007 villain mill by dubbing a mute butler with mouth scars Mr. Grin, throwing in a Russian minx, and including a giant Portuguese Man-o-War in an even more giant tank in the big bad villains office. The chapters are short and sweet, often ending in a cliff hanger, which makes it hard to put this book down. Moreover, Alex is crafty and clever, and he usually chooses to truck on instead of bemoaning his sad sad life, making him a-okay in my book, since so much of YA fiction seems to revel in angst and tragedy.
Stormbreaker begins with an ominous knock on the Rider residence door; as with most midnight knocks, this does not bode well for young Baby Bond. His uncle and sole guardian, Ian Rider, has been killed in a tragic car accident, allegedly because he was not wearing a seatbelt. Baby Bond is instantly suspicious; Uncle Ian was a seatbelt wearing fiend! He does some investigative journalism, only to discover that all is not as it seems: Uncle Ian was straight up murdered, and what’s more, a super secret spy for Her Majesty (not Madonna, the Queen, foo), in MI-6. It turns out that he was killed on a mission, trying to find out what the deal is with the new super computers (the Stormbreaker) that Harry Sayle, crazy Egyptian-English billionare, is donating to schools across the UK. Baby Bond is more or less conscripted into service as MI-6’s new super secret teen spy weapon by his late uncle’s handlers, having to survive boot camp before he is shipped off to finish up where his uncle left off. He assumes the identity of the kid who won the Stormbreaker essay contest and travels to Sayles’ complex to test out the game. Things start out okay, but sooner than later things take a turn for the dangerous, and Baby Bond is fighting to survive AND find out what is up with these super cool Stormbreaker computers. It goes without saying that Baby Bond will have to ATV, scuba dive, scamper, hide, and skydive his way to saving his butt and find out the truth, leaving the reader with well nibbled nails and jonesing for another fix of Alex Rider.
Best for: This series is probably best suited for younger YA readers (Grades 5-8), but definitely could cross over into the Children’s category because there aren’t too many big words, there are short chapters, and the narrative is simple and appealing. An easy sell to reluctant reader boys or girls, for the action and viscereal drama.
The hook: I assume most kids have heard of this because of the movie, but I know from experience there are a good many who have not. And then there are those like me...aka those who just don't make the connection. Good thing we're so good looking. I’d begin by asking some spy related questions, give a brief plot summary, and then read the scene where Alex is trapped his Uncle Ian’s bullet-ridden car in the junkyard car crusher. And there I catch them, hook, line, little stinkers. Or mabye I should just hold up a picture of Daniel Craig. I'd let him convince me, if you know what I mean.
The Haters
