Teenreads.com conducted a survey of teen readers and the results, along with an analysis, are available in this article from Publisher’s Weekly. Looking at what teens read, what they buy, influences and conflicts for time and dollars, there are some interesting results and ideas for educators and booksellers. Check it out!Read More →
Dweeb: Burgers Beasts and Brainwashed Bullies by Aaron Starmer follows the tale of five boys- Denton, Wendell, Eddie, Elijah and Bijay-who are thrown together after Vice Principal Snodgrass frames them for stealing the Bake Sale money. Snodgrass’ punishment is extreme-he locks the boys in a secret room beneath the school and forces them to study for the upcoming Idaho tests- if the boys ace them, their crime will be forgiven. But there is something more going on at the school and the 5 misfits, now collectively called DWEEB, must use all of their skills to unravel the mysterious happenings at Ho-Ho-Kus Junior High. This isRead More →
I may have been watching too much Buffy: The Vampire Slayer lately, but… 16 year old Nikki’s just moved to another town and unlike other schools, seems to have been able to make friends with the most popular girl in school. And, the cutest guy has just asked her to attend the winter formal dance. But then a strange, secretive guy starts stalking her. When Michael finally catches up to Nikki, he reveals that her long-lost father is actually a demon king, charged with protecting the Shadowlands and prohibiting the demons of Hell from reaching Earth. Now that Nikki is 16, her powers as a Darkling, half-human, half-demon will emerge.Read More →
When Beatrice, aka Robot Girl, moves to a new town and meets Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, they form an unexpected friendship. Jonah is a loner who hasn’t made a new friend (or much of an impression on anyone) since the third grade–but he might make the exception for Bea. Bea describes herself as Robot Girl (except for the made-out-of-metal part). As this quirky tale unfolds, Bea and Jonah bond through honest conversations, shared escapades, and late night calls into an “old-timer radio show.” As their friendship grows, Bea learns about Jonah’s history and their relationship becomes more meaningful than either of them ever expected. ThisRead More →
In the not-to-distant future, civilization is divided into 4 realms: the privilidged classes in Realm One, living a life of comfort, safety and ease; the working classes living in an overly industrialized Realm Two that isn’t much different from today’s dirty industrial cities; social misfits, outcasts and dangerous elements in a harsh, prison-like Realm Three; and a foreboding, frightening Realm Four from which no one and no real information returns. And all that divides these Realms and their citizens is a mysterious Test that all citizens take when they’re 14. It’s administered by the Great Processor and no one challenges the test or the results. 14 year oldRead More →
12 year old Samuel Collier is a street urchin and orphan on the mean streets of London in 1607. He’s learned to trust no one, fend for himself, and fight off any one who gets in his way. After attempting to steal back a locket pawned by his dead mother, he ends up in a orphanage. But soon Samuel finds himself, another boy, and the kindly Reverend who ran the orphanage, aboard a ship bound for the New World. Samuel becomes page to Captain John Smith and spends months at sea on the way to the new Virginia colony, James Town. Everyone imagines that theRead More →
Rooted firmed in the steampunk genre, Scott Westerfeld’s new series opens with gusto in Leviathan, released last week from Simon Pulse. In this alternate reality where the Central Powers (Clankers) have invented amazing mechanikal war machines, 15 year old Prince Aleksander Ferdinand’s parents, the heir to the throne of the Austria-Hungarian Empire Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie Chotek, have been assassinated and he is whisked away in the dead of night by just a few loyal men in a giant walking war machine, a Stormwalker. Naive to the intricacies of politics and international intrigue, Alek slowly realizes this assassination has been the spark to set off the greatest warRead More →
The Doom Machine is award-winning children’s book author and illustrator Mark Teague’s foray into children’s novels. Set in 1950’s at the height of the Cold War and the beginning of the Space Race, The Doom Machine is full of action, adventure, and amazing creatures and places. It all starts with an alien invasion: Jack Creedle can’t keep himself out of trouble and he doesn’t mind breaking a rule or two. One pre-dawn morning while delivering his newspapers, Jack sees a flying saucer land in the forest outside his small town of Vern Hollow. Isadora Shumway is a smart, logical girl who loves science and followingRead More →
This week, we Three P’s and B.B.W are in complete agreement about our pick of book & puppet combo: Skippyjon Jones Lost in Spice! Action, adventure, the Chimichango Gang and bossy Martian-itos… in other words, more fun with Skippyjon Jones! Our favorite Siamese kitty boy who knows he’s a Chihuahua has an amazing out of this world adventure on the Planet Mars and with a Skippyjon Jones puppet, everyone can have fun going along for the ride! And you can have lots of fun with Skippito Friskito on his website! Posted by B.B.W. & the Three P’sRead More →