Ms. Hempel Chronicles by Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum

Published by Harcourt Inc.
Distributed by Raincoast Books

Ms. Hempel is a seventh grade teacher who, while passionate about teaching and nurturing her students, sometimes wishes she could seek out a different path in life. It seems that every time she holds this debate in her mind, she can't quite grasp a way to achieve this without being seen as dishonourable. In these chronicles the reader gets to witness memorable moments of life through the eyes of this charming, yet seemingly fragile character. Often these moments are reflected through her relationships with other teachers and of course, her students.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first word that springs to mind is 'intimate'. It's written in such a style that the reader can't help but feel a close bond with Beatrice Hempel as she moves through her life. She is charming, unsure of herself, and often finds herself visiting old memories and longing for a change she doesn't feel brave enough to reach for.

Through the various 'glimpses' into her life, Í couldn't help but feel sorry for this character. When we first meet her, she is in her early to mid twenties and we are still with her as she reaches the thirties but it often seems that the only thing to change is her age. I got the distinct impression that she tends to just stand still and let life happen around her, taking very little control over her own destiny. I was relieved when offered an image of her in earlier years when she had blue hair and dressed in torn t-shirts and leopard print mini skirts, as it showed that she wasn't always this quiet, almost timid woman.

Along with her quietness though, she sometimes displays a child-like naivety that is simply endearing. The naivety lessens as the years unfold though she still seems to retain an ‘innocence’. I would have loved to have seen more of this character and followed her through the next couple of years to see how she would further develop. It's rare to read a book and feel like you have so much invested in the content but with this title, it's exactly how I felt - almost like a doting parent, cautiously watching as Beatrice struggles to discover who she is and what she really wants in life.

This was a wonderful work of fiction.

Website: http://www.mshempelchronicles.com/Welcome.html

Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez

Published by Harcourt Inc.
Distributed by Raincoast Books

High School can be a nightmare and very rarely do students make it through the experience unscathed. For Daisy Giordano, high school just got a whole lot worse. Her mother and sisters have psychic abilities and though Daisy's mother is convinced that Daisy is just a slow developer, it doesn't make her 'norm' status any easier to bear.

Throw in the fact that the head cheerleader has just returned from summer break looking somewhat dead and random female teens have been showing up dead (or very close to it) and it's very clear that something nasty is happening in the town of Nightshade. Whatever it is, it seems to be revolving around the Nightshade High cheerleading team. As members of the team are falling victim to some unexplained weirdness, new talent has to be found and Daisy is taken on as a new addition. Hopefully she is in a better position to help solve this mystery before anyone else gets hurt.

'Dead is the New Black' is a highly addictive read which drew me in from the very first page. The writing style is perfectly descriptive - enough detail to paint a very clear image in the mind of the reader, yet not enough to take away from the fast pace of the story. The characters are equally as well written and it's not often easy to become attached to characters within such a quick read but I found myself dreading the end of the book. Thankfully it seems there will be a couple of sequels at least, including 'Dead is a State of Mind' which should already be available and which I hope to review soon.

This is the first book I have read by Marlene Perez but it certainly won't be the last. This book is a welcome addition to my bookshelf and it's a sure-fire winner as a gift for any girls over the age of 12.

Author's website: http://www.marleneperez.com

There's a Dead Person Following My Sister Around by Vivian Vande Velde

Published by Magic Carpet Books - an imprint of Harcourt Inc.
Distributed by Raincoast Books

Ted has a problem. It all started one night while Ted and his sixteen year old brother were watching TV. Looking up he spies his younger sister Vicky - who is in kindergarten - trying to watch TV even though she shouldn't be awake. Vicky explains that she is only there because her new friend Marella was curious about TV. Chalking the experience up to invisible friends, Vicky is sent back to bed by her brothers. Following that there seems to be more than a few strange events including one terrifying night when Ted wakes up from a really bad nightmare only to hear his sister screaming that 'the bad lady' was trying to hurt him.

Through a conversation with his cousin, and later with his grandparents, Ted is convinced the house is haunted and he learns that their almost 150 year old home used to be a part of the underground railroad. Furthermore, his grandparents tell him of a secret room in the house that is now unreachable but which once held a diary. He is thrilled to learn the diary is in the attic but soon learns that someone really doesn't want him to go up there.

Will he get the answers he needs, and will it be in time to put an end to the hauntings before something really bad happens?

I decided on a quick read tonight and this title just caught my eye. From the beginning this book grabs your attention and has no problem holding onto it. The reader is informed that unlike most ghost stories, this one doesn't begin with an old old house, or being sent to stay with an aunt who lives near a windswept moor. Nor does it involve a lighthouse or any of the other things usually found in those kind of stories. Within the first couple of pages I was already chuckling at the humour and I was already drawn in to the point where I didn't want to put the book down at all.

I liked that this book delves into some of the history of slavery and the underground railway. It was fascinating to read about and I especially liked the reactions from Ted as he learned of his family's involvement. The tale has a wonderfully balanced mix of fantasy and educational content that is sure to please both parents and children alike. It's an entertaining read with many fantastic twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat right until the very end. For ages 10 and up.

Author's site: http://www.vivianvandevelde.com

Thor's Wedding Day: By Thialfi, the Goat Boy as told to and translated by Bruce Coville. Illustrated by Matthew Cogswell

Published by Magic Carpet Books - a division of Harcourt Inc
Distributed by Raincoast Books

Thor is having a really bad day. His hammer has been stolen by the king of the giants, Thrym, and is being held for ransom. Thrym wants to marry Freya - The Goddess of Love, but the fiery tempered Freya will have nothing to do with him. Following a meeting with all of the Gods and Goddesses, it is decided that the only solution is for Thor to bury his pride and don a bridal gown. The mischevious Loki and the nervous Thialfi - the goat boy - need to dress for the occassion too. Thor just hopes he doesn't have to walk down the aisle!

This book was hilarious, original, and captivating. I love books about the Gods and Goddesses and it seems that we are starting to see more authors having fun with the subject. (Gods Behaving Badly is a book that came to mind). This was a quick and easy read which was expected since it is a book aimed towards children ages 8 to 12. I can imagine it would make delightful bedtime reading for children and parents alike and I could also see this book as a great way to get children introduced to Mythology in a fun way! I laughed out loud often while reading this one, it was a great adventure! I also enjoyed the sometimes dark, always wonderful illustrations of Matthew Cogswell. I especially liked his depiction of Thrym.

A great read.

Author's website: http://www.brucecoville.com/
Illustrator's website: http://www.matthewcogswell.com/

My Last Best Friend by Julie Bowe

Published by Harcourt Inc
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Beginning a new school year is not the easiest time for anyone and for Ida May it's more difficult still. Her best friend has moved away and she has spent part of the school holidays being pushed into a new friendship, by her mother. A new friend might not seem like such a terrible thing, and after all Jenna is the daughter of the President of the PTA. It's a pity she is also the meanest, most bossy and disliked person in Ida's class.

When a mysterious new girl called Stacey Merriweather joins the school, Ida can't help but like her. Stacey smiles constantly and shows kindness towards everyone, even to the bossy Jenna. Ida is determined that she can't allow herself to have another friend ever again but will her heart agree?

My Last Best Friend is a truly beautiful and heartwarming tale about the trials and complications of love and friendship. It captures childhood years perfectly and when I read it, I found myself feeling light and carefree as my inner child remembered the joy of youth. The characters are extremely vivid and easy to connect with while the story is written in a way that will capture the interest of any young girl.

A fun, quick, and entertaining read for ages 7 to 10. I was delighted when I got to the end of the book and saw a sneak peek of the next title 'My New Best Friend'. I can hardly wait to see what happens next for Ida and Stacey and I am sure that after you and your child read this book, you will feel the same way.

On a more personal note.. As a military wife I know all too well how much of a struggle it can be to relocate on a regular basis. When doing so with children, it's an added strain as they try and deal with loss, new schools etc. This book is an especially great gift idea for children in the military lifestyle.

Author's website: http://www.juliebowe.com/

The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas

Published by Harcourt Inc
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Scarlett Thomas was named one of the twenty best young British writers by the Independent on Sunday in 2001 and Writer of the Year at the 2002 Elle Style Awards. After reading The End of Mr. Y, it's easy to understand why.

This book is no slow starter. Right away the reader is thrust into a tension-building scene which finds the main character, Ariel Manto, rushing out of her office as the ground shakes beneath her, just in time to see the next building collapse. The mystery element is introduced from the start too, as Ariel sneaks back into her building to get her keys and reveals that her office, is shared with Professor Saul Burlem, who has been missing since the first week she arrived. Burlem is the only person in the world who has done research on the author Thomas E. Lumas, one of Ariel's main subjects.

Tragedy surrounds Thomas E. Lumas. It was believed that one of his books, The End of Mr. Y, was cursed. The author died soon after writing it, along with everyone who was ever involved with it. Only one copy of the book exists, safely tucked into a bank vault in Germany. Imagine Ariel's surprise as she walks home from work that night and enters a used bookstore. While looking for more works by Thomas E. Lumas, the store assistant mentions that the name sounds familiar and swears she has a copy of the book. Ariel can't believe her luck as a box is brought out, recently bought at auction, and tucked inside is a copy of the novel.

What follows is an adventure which is nothing less than spectacular. The reader gets to read the cursed novel along with Ariel, while at the same time, learning about her life, her bond with her neighbour, the affair with a college professor and her financial struggles. At the end of the book, she is troubled. There is a page missing and it's obvious that it was torn out. Why would it be removed? What did it say?

When her building resumes normal day to day business, she returns to find that two people from the collapsed building will now be sharing her office. In the process of making space for them, she is packing the books which belong to Burlem. As she does so, a piece of paper flutters out of a book. It's a page. No. It's THE page. Why did Burlem have it? Why did he have a copy of The End of Mr. Y? Where is he?

Ariel sets out to find the answers to these and many more questions and ventures into the Troposphere - A place where she can travel through time and space by using the thoughts of others. What she finds inside is beyond imagination, and while she begins exploring in awe and wonder, she soon finds herself within a nightmare that may end up costing Ariel her life.

Where do I even begin with this book? It's simply brilliant. I picked it up and was hooked from the very start. The author has a way of drawing the reader into the book, even when just sharing details of Ariel's day to day life. The characters are vivid, realistic and very easy to connect with.

The story itself is a perfect blend of present and past, and after reading it, it was easy to see why Jonathan Coe stated:

"Not only will you have a great time reading this book, but you will finish it a cleverer person than when you started."

This book explores so many theories about science, faith, conciousness, death and more. It's a book that will excite the senses, inspire the imagination, and tease the intellect.

I loved this book.

Author's website: http://www.bookgirl.org/