Day 9: 45 Days of Summer

Loot by Jude Watson

Fast-paced action, witty quips, jewel heists, and a prophesied curse…

Loot has it all. 

Fans of mystery, action, crime drama and more will find a LOT to like in this book that reads like a movie.

Best for: 5th - 8th grades.

Day 6: 45 Days of Summer

Body in the Woods by April Henry

Author April Henry is back with another high-interest mystery (all set in the Pacific NW). 

The Body in the Woods will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. 

But you might not want to read it on a camping trip…

Best for: 8th-12th grades.

Non-Fiction Friday: Review: Bones Never Lie (MacLeod)

Title: Bones Never Lie
Author: MacLeod
Genre: Non-fiction, Anthropology, Science, Forensics, Law, Crime
Pages: 156
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Ages: 5th grade and up

Don't tell anyone, but I'm not an English major. Seriously, I'm really not.

I am a SCIENCE MAJOR through and through! Therefore, I love all books science-related; and if it's historical science and/or crime related, all the better. This might explain why I am a huge fan of the TV show Bones (as well as the books that Kathy Reichs, who the character "Bones" is based on, writes). In my next life I desperately want to be Indiana Jones.

So, when I come across a non-fiction title for teens about forensic anthropology, you know it is on the top of my "to read" list.

From the Publisher:
How did King Tut really die?
The mystery of the young pharaoh's death is only one of the puzzles that modern science has helped solve. Thanks to forensics -- the scientific way of examining physical evidence -- we now know what killed Napoleon and whether Anastasia survived the massacre of the Russian royal family.
Seven intriguing stories about historical royal figures whose demise was suspicious, and hard scientific facts about crime-solving techniques make each event seem like an episode of CSI rather than a history lesson.
Kids will be fascinated to find out how scientists used autopsy results (and the waist measurement of his pants!) to prove that Napoleon died not of arsenic poisoning as suspected, but of stomach cancer; and how DNA testing revealed that King Tut died of malaria.
Other stories include:
Who was the Man in the Iron Mask?
What was the fate of Marie-Antoinette's son?
Who killed an entire Maya royal family?
Who knows what really happened to Thailand's young King Rama?
At times a gripping "whodunit," at others a guide to deductive reasoning, this book will be hard to put down for any kids who love mysteries, murder, and suspense.

There's really not much more to say. I was very excited to discover this title as I think it is a good introduction to the topic for teens. There is plenty of illustrative material, and each chapter discusses an historical "case," keeping even reluctant readers engaged. A little history, a little science, a little whodunit...perfect!

Spotlight On: Black History Month (Emmett Till)

Continuing our spotlight on Black History Month, today's post is about the murder of Emmett Till. This landmark case is not often found in textbooks, but more and more books are being published. Two of the best are:

Title: Simeon's Story: an eyewitness account of the kidnapping of Emmett Till

Author: Wright
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, Crimes
Pages: 176
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!


I have read many books about the kidnapping and murder of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old black boy from Chicago whose body was battered beyond recognition and dumped in the Tallahatchie River while visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, in 1955. Till's crime? He supposedly whistled at a white woman. This crime was often overlooked by the history books because Till was African American. Though his murderers were never brought to justice, the crime has received much attention in recent years.

This account of the tragedy is told by the boy's cousin, Simeon Wright, who was with Emmett on the fateful day and was sleeping in the same room when white men came to take him away in the middle of the night. Simeon's story is a page-turner and should be included in American History curriculums.

Though it looks like a picture book, A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson is definitely intended for older readers.  This book is a collection of 15 sonnets that tell the story surrounding the murder of Emmett. The "wreath" is the collection of poems, the last line of one of the sonnets becomes the first line of the next, and the final sonnet contains one line from each of the preceding 14 poems. Very moving, and a perfect companion book to Simeon's Story.

Review: Interrogation of Gabriel James (Price)

Title: The Interrogation of Gabriel James
Author: Price
Genre: Fiction, High School, Crime, Mystery
Page: 176
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Two teens are dead and Gabriel is in police custody.  He is not officially a suspect, but he is being interrogated about the deaths...and he seems to know quite a bit about what happened.  Through the course of the interrogation, Gabriel slowly reveals the history of what he knows.  And there is a lot to know.  A classmate is being abused but hasn't told anyone; local pets are disappearing; fires are being started around town; and a creepy ex-cult leader may be up to his old tricks.  It is possible that all of these crimes are connected, and Gabriel may just be the key.  He may also be the best suspect.

This is mystery/thriller at it's best.  Gabriel is reliving the story and it is his memories, dragged out slowly by the police, that inform readers what has happened.  We only have his version of events, and by his own account, he might just be responsible for what has happened.  He certainly isn't innocent.  

The story is fast-paced and should hook readers right from the opening line.  The mood is suspenseful, scary, and dark.   This quick thriller is best suited for slightly older readers.  Though I read an advance copy, it is now officially published so you should be able to find a copy at the library.  Or comment here if you are interested in reading my copy.

Review: Dark Song (Giles)

Title: Dark Song
Author: Giles
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Families, Crime
Pages: 304
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Ames' life has completely changed in the last few months.  Her father lost his job and started drinking.  Her mother, so afraid of being poor, has turned into a lunatic, screaming at everyone and selling valuables.  When Ames finds out that her dad stole from clients and was fired, and then gambled and lost what money they did have left, Ames is angry with her family for not being honest about the true extent of their problems.  Now she must leave her private school, her family must sell everything, including their house, and move to live with grandparents she never knew she had.

And don't think things won't get worse for Ames, because they do.  The house grandma and grandpa offer them is a small run-down rental house, in disgusting condition, that Ames and her family must clean and fix-up.
 
But there is a bright spot...she meets a boy...named Marc. Marc loves her, and will do anything to protect her.  He has a gun collection and he is willing to use it.  Ames feels her parents have betrayed her with their lies, but is she prepared to make the ultimate betrayal against them?

Giles is quite adept at psychological thrillers for the teen crowd, a master really, and this is no exception.  It is a well-paced page turner that you will not be able to put down.  The first chapter lets you know that something is coming, but then you get sucked into the story and forget that you've been warned about evil until it comes back to hit you in the face.  Marc is truly a creepy character and while he is supposed to be the villain (trust me), he sometimes feels like a hero.  I felt that the characters in this book were real, as were their problems.  There are many families in this situation and I think the timeliness of the financial crisis will lend realism to the story.  My favorite character was actually Ames' grandma (her mom's mom, that we meet in the beginning of the story).  She sure has some fire to her, and some great lines, and actually reminds me quite a bit of one of my grandmas.

So, if I'm saying all these good things, why did I only give it 3 1/2 stars?  I LOVE Gail Giles and all of her titles.  "Dead Girls Don't Write Letters" is probably my favorite, with "What Happened to Cass McBride?" a close second.  But I think, in the end, this book did not resonate with me as much as those titles did.  Perhaps you should not compare a book with the author's previous works, or the book you wish the author had written, but on it's own merits?  Unfortunately, I just can't seem to do that in this case. 

But I can see many teens I know giving this a hands-down 5 out of 5! 

What do you think?  Judge each book as a stand-alone or compare to the author's other titles?