Download Basketball
Author: Alison Hawes
Publisher: Hameray
Genre: Teens / Sports
ISBN: 978-1-60559-003-5
Pages: 48
Price: $9.95
Basketball is a fun sport for boys and girls of all ages. But how is it played, and who are all those people on the court? If basketball looks interesting to you and you want to know more about its history, stars, and rules, you’ll need to read Download Basketball.
Basketball is a fast-paced game, and this book is set up to be a fast read. Position players, scorekeepers, and referees are all introduced, with explanations of what each does. Court markings and how they’re used to score, and what to wear to stay cool and comfortable, help in learning to play the game. And no book about any sport would be complete without a history of its beginnings, as well as legends who dazzled the crowds with their prowess.
The Download series was created to support striving readers for whom reading is a difficult or frustrating task. This series would be great in engaging kids ages 9-14, reading at age level 7-8.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
The Time Traveller’s Assistant
Author: Ian O’Neill
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Genre: Teen / Fantasy
ISBN: 978-1-4490-7173-8
Pages: 152
Price: $11.99
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
Jimmy First isn’t thrilled when his mum arranges a part-time job working for Henry Crumble on Saturdays. His right arm is disabled by cerebral palsy, making it difficult for him to handle the small work on watches and clocks that his new job demands. But Henry is kind and treats Jimmy with respect, unlike the bullies who torment him.
One day Jimmy discovers Henry has a secret, and ends up on a journey through time to discover his destiny. Will Jimmy be able to return from the future, to live the life he now knows he’s meant to enjoy?
The Time Traveller’s Assistant pulls us into Jimmy’s world, immediately capturing our sympathies for the difficulties he’s endured as a result of his cerebral palsy. Jimmy is a smart and good-looking boy, but he doesn’t see his own worth until he visits the future and encounters a girl who likes him just as he is. This is a well-written fantasy with a positive message of self-worth for all who struggle with feelings of not fitting in. I highly recommend it.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Survivor Song: Tales of Treacherous Traverses Through Waters and Woods
Author: Joseph Kehoe
Publisher: You Come Too Publishing
Genre: Children / Adventure
ISBN: 978-0-9816836-1-4
Pages: 144
Price: $5.99
Children living in suburbs where the biggest danger is crossing a busy intersection dream of heading off to the wilderness and great adventures. In Survivor Song Joseph Kehoe takes us into dark wooded areas, down river rapids, and into snowstorms to give us a taste of nature and the elements at their fiercest.
In these thirteen harrowing stories of adventure and survival, kids will come face to face with some of their deepest fears. Will they manage to face their demons and come out alive? Most of the kids in these stories do — but some don’t.
Although this book is listed as intended for ages 10 and up, the more sensitive reader may find these tales a little too upsetting. But kids will be forced to think about how they would handle these situations if they ever found themselves in them, which might lead to great discussions in school and at home. The author is also a frequent guest speaker at schools, sharing these and other stories.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
SpaceCoyotes and the Secret of the Blue Planet
Author: Paul Fredrics
Publisher: Matador
Genre: Science Fiction
ISBN: 978-1906510-374
Pages: 344
Price: £13.99 (import)
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
Forty years ago, an Anilar expedition to the Blue Planet (Earth) failed. Had this been any ordinary mission, fourteen year-old JoJo would never have given it a second thought. But one of the men on the spaceship was her grandfather, and she is now being denied her dream of becoming a SpaceCoyote because of him.
Jimmy Green’s rock band, Applejuice, was destined for greatness, until their lead singer unexpectedly moved out of the country. Now Jimmy is forced to endure Apple Valley’s spoiled darling’s attempts to sing, while his band grimaces in pain.
JoJo convinces her little brother 2B to come with her on a clandestine visit to the Blue Planet, but suddenly finds her ship crash-landed on its surface. All she wants to do is get home, and Jimmy’s band may well be the answer to her problem. But Jimmy may have more answers than either of them could ever expect.
JoJo’s spunk and determination to try to clear her grandfather’s name are admirable. Whether it’s hacking into top secret computer databases, stealing a spaceship, or fighting off evil grommets and CoyoteBots, nothing will stop her from succeeding at her mission. And Jimmy’s extraordinarily compassionate and helpful nature finally prove to JoJo that Earth isn’t the evil place she’s been led to believe it is.
SpaceCoyotes and the Secret of the Blue Planet is a fast-moving adventure through time and space. In a situation where nothing is as it seems, it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad. I highly recommend this enjoyable science fiction story.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Urban Falcon
Author: Jennifer Caloyeras
Publisher: Diversion Press, Inc.
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-935290-08-7
Pages: 232
Price: $12.95
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
Evan Falcon has spent his whole life in Elbow Creek, a tiny rural town. When his father gets a new job, he’s forced to move to Lincoln Heights in the middle of eleventh grade and adjust to life in the big city.
Moving as a teen is tough, especially when his best friend in Elbow Creek is no longer talking to him. Evan finds a new friend, and life starts to feel more normal, especially when he meets Maya. But trouble with his parents leads to being grounded and having to come up with creative ways to date and hang out with his classmates.
And lurking in the background is the sneaking suspicion that his mother is having an affair. How can Evan let his parents know that he knows, and does he even want to tell them? Would this revelation disrupt his life even more than it already is?
Jennifer Caloyeras has created a convincing world for Evan Falcon as he adjusts to his big move. The reader sympathizes with his struggles and wants the best for this likable young man. Urban Falcon is a great read, and I look forward to seeing more from this talented new author.
Warning: Rated mature for sexual situations and language.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
The Lost Sister
Author: Megan Kelley Hall
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Teen
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2680-8
Pages: 272
Price: $9.95
Author’s website
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At the conclusion of Sisters of Misery we learn that Cordelia is still alive, and she plans to come back to find Maddie. In this sequel, The Lost Sister, we find out what led to Cordelia’s disappearance, and where she’s been hiding for the past year.
All the major players in this drama have received a tarot card, which seems to convey an eerie warning. Death is in the air, and the evil won’t stop until certain people are finally removed from Hawthorne, once and for all. Is this story taking place in our modern century, or have they returned to the witch trials of Massachusetts? Magic and mystery surrounds them, blending both eras until almost indistinguishable from each other.
But why is all this death necessary? For what end? Maddie will find out when she faces her enemy in the final showdown.
Once again, author Megan Kelley Hall has created a haunting novel of madness in a small, affluent New England town. In this sequel, she ties together the loose ends left open when Cordelia vanished. Although it’s not quite as well written as Sisters of Misery, readers will still enjoy this conclusion to a chilling story.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
The Lake That Stole Children
Author: Douglas Glenn Clark
Publisher: CreateSpace
Genre: Fable
ISBN: 978-1438243580
Pages: 50
Price: $6.25
The fisherman knows only discipline and strict obedience in raising his two children. Although his son also wants to fish in the river, he is repeatedly denied his heart’s desire. Until one night he goes against his father’s wishes and faces the river by himself.
The lake claims the son, who joins other children inside a large glass fish. Their common bond is sadness, and the adults on the shore don’t want to face their part in the children’s disappearances. But the fisherman wants his son back, and he’s brave enough to face the glass fish.
Written in fable style, The Lake That Stole Children shows us many facets of our emotions and personalities. In this tale, the father recognizes his own limitations, and makes positive changes as a result of losing his son. And in seeing his father change, the boy grows up learning how to be a better father.
While the author intended this story to be a harrowing thriller for young adults, I didn’t feel there was enough action to grab the teen audience. But as a short story for adults, it packed a powerful message. Parents always need to be aware of their kids’ emotions before they disappear into their sadness, lost to us forever.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Weeping Under This Same Moon
Author: Jana Laiz
Publisher: Crow Flies Press
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-9814910-0-4
Pages: 271
Price: $14.00
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
In 1976, Mei, a Chinese girl living in war-torn Vietnam is forced to flee her country. Sent away on a tiny boat, she and her teenage brother and young sister leave their family behind, hoping to arrive on safe shores. With no guarantee of survival, they embark bravely on their journey.
In the United States, Hannah, a teenage girl, finds herself struggling to fit into a culture focused on drugs and parties. A non-conformist, she is drawn to important causes, and finds herself alone most of the time. When she hears of the plight of the “Boat People” escaping Vietnam, she knows she needs to help.
Weeping Under This Same Moon tells these two girls’ stories, which begin to intersect as Hannah befriends Mei and her family, and helps them acclimate to life in the US. Told with amazing perception and attention to detail, the author brings their stories to life. Great character development helps us to understand each girl and her unique situation.
This book is a fictionalized account of two real women who forged a lifetime friendship during a time of adversity. I highly recommend Weeping Under This Same Moon – a story of friendship, hope, and the spirit of helping others.
Reviewed by: Alice Berger
Adios to All the Drama
Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2557-3
Pages: 336
Price: $9.95
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
Mariana’s summer fling, Alex, is staying with her family as he researches colleges in the area. Although she’s missed him, she still has unresolved feelings for her locker buddy, Bobby. But things are weird between them ever since she found out her friend, Emily’s, secret.
Madison is now head over heels for a popular guy named Evan, but Emily’s behavior has Mariana concerned. Is she going for her friend’s guy behind her back? Nothing Emily does makes any sense anymore.
When a ballet performance disaster occurs, Mariana finds out the answers to her friend’s strange actions. And she finally makes the decision that’s been weighing on her own heart at her aunt’s wedding.
I really enjoyed this three book series, but this one was definitely the best, in my opinion. Despite the fact Mariana is not one of the popular girls, she manages to stay true to herself and her own values in this book, not succumbing to any peer pressure to compromise herself.
Mariana shows great self-confidence in making all the right decisions for herself, knowing she needs to live with the consequences. I enjoyed getting to know her, and I’m sorry to see this series end.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Amigas and School Scandals
Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2555-9
Pages: 304
Price: $9.95
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
After a summer vacation in Puerto Rico, Mariana Ruiz has returned to Spring Mills and her old life. But she’s brought home her cousin, Lilly, who is enrolling in Mariana’s high school. After only one day of classes, Lilly in an instant hit, and the most popular freshman in the school – and Mariana’s best friends are less than thrilled with her arrival.
Now Mariana needs to restore her strained relationships with Madison and Emily. Missing Madison’s Sweet Sixteen party over the summer was a faux pas she may never live down, until Madison talks her into having her own party for her sixteenth birthday. But Mariana doesn’t want a bash like Madison’s, so Lilly helps with a compromise.
Along with friend problems, Mariana still has family issues to deal with. Her estranged aunt wants to be part of the family, but Mariana’s uncles still hold grudges against her. And Mariana finds herself suddenly attracted to her locker buddy, Bobby, who had gone on a date with Emily over the summer. Emily won’t tell anyone about it, which confuses Mariana as to her friend’s feelings for Bobby – until the truth finally comes out.
Amigas and School Scandals picks up right where Amor and Summer Secrets left off, as Mariana leaves Utuado and her summer fling, Alex. But although summer is over, new dramas and tensions are just heating up.
Teens will easily relate to Mariana’s struggles to include her cousin Lilly into her circle of friendship, while doing all she can to keep her best friends, even if it means passing up a hot guy. Amigas and School Scandals will pull you into Mariana’s world and keep you hooked until the last page. I look forward to reading the final book in this series.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
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- Embracing the Gray by Mark A. Hollingsworth
- Healing Touch by Dorothea Hover-Kramer
- Junior Dragster Dreams by Carol Carter
- Mallory the Forgetful Duck by Elaine Allen
- Music for a Shift in Consciousness by Bruce Lipton & Russel Walder
- Off to Class by Susan Hughes
- The Skinny on Success by Jim Randel
- Tibetan Dream Journey
- Tiptoe Through Tasmania by Janice Anderson
- Your Daily Walk With the Great Minds by Richard A. Singer, Jr.
“Who’s Taking a Bath?” by Alice Berger
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