PSLA TITLES FOR 2011
FICTION
poor and a romance that slowly grows between Kate "Puck" Connolly and Sean Kendrick, a horse-whisperer of the carnivorous sea horses. The island of Thisby is a hard scrabble place that needs the money of the tourists the annual Scorpio Races brings, to survive. Puck and her two brothers have lost their parents to the flesh eating horses; life has been very difficult for them since. Whereas Puck and Finn love the island, older brother, Gabe, has announced he is leaving with his two friends after the races. Sean Kendrick and Puck alternate telling their stories. Sean Kendrick loves his (sea horse) Capill uisce, Corr and Puck loves her quarter pony; it is Sean who speaks up for Puck as the first female rider, when the islanders challenge her. Mutt Malvern manifested true evil and it was difficult to read when he tried to "hurt" those associated with Sean Kendrick. But it was the slowly moving, delicate relationship of Puck and Sean that I applaud. Stiefvater takes two people who are animal lovers and through deliberate situations, moves them from strangers, to acquaintances, to friends and then a mutual respect and love. Highly recommended! Love, Fantasy, Horses BJ Neary, Abington Senior High Stone, Phoebe. The Romeo and Juliet Code. New York: Arthur A. Levine (Scholastic), 2011. 978-0-545-21511-4. 300p. $16.99 Gr. 5-8. The setting is the isolated coast of Maine in 1941. Felicity has been hustled out of England on a secret transport and left with her unknown relatives the Bathburns. Her parents, Winnie and Danny, just leave. She must keep a stiff upper lip adjusting to Uncle Gideon, The Gram, and Aunt Miami, not to mention the mysterious Captain Derek. More mysteries abound – why can’t she read the letters that she KNOWS are from her father? Why is the piano nailed shut and a certain room off limits? Gradually she makes friends with Derek learning perhaps more than they should. Discovering the letters are in code is intriguing. When they stumble on the key to the code, they become very afraid. Loosely based on some historical facts, middle school readers will be swept into the drama of World War II. The end is up in the air leaving the reader wondering what happened to Winnie and Danny. Stone’s note at the end may entice readers to do a bit of research on American and British intelligence gathering. Historical Fiction, Mystery, Family Jeannie Bellavance, retired. Stork, Francisco X. Irises. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2012. 978-0-545-21128-4. $8.99. 304p. Gr. 9 and up. Sisters Kate and Mary have a close relationship with their mother, who is now in a vegetative state living in their house on life support. Their father is very strict, he will not allow them to have cell phones or a car. Their dad dies and because Mary is home with him, she feels guilty. There are flashbacks throughout the book. Kate has promised her mother that she would go to Stanford, while Mary would like to stay home and paint. There is a lot of emphasis on religion throughout the book. Family/Friendship Julia A., Jenkintown High School Suma, Nova Ren. Imaginary Girls. New York: Penguin, 2011. 978-0-525-42338-6. 348p. $17.99. Gr. 9 and up. First of all, you are going to love the gorgeous cover! The writing in this book has so many layers. Chloe is mesmerized by her older sister, Ruby. The story is told from Chloe’s point of view about Ruby and the writing is stunning. You may start to get a little freaked out while reading this book, yet you will not be able to put down this multi-layered book. You must read Imaginary Girls! Sisters Jill Toye, Jenkintown High School Tanner, Lian . City of Lies. New York: Delcorte, 2011. 276p. $14.00. Gr. 4-8. In the second book of the Keepers trilogy, Goldie has received numerous messages asking her to assume her position as Fifth Keeper of the Museum of Dunt, but her parents are ill and she doesn’t want to leave them. On the way to the museum, her sister is kidnapped. When she and her friend track the kidnappers, Toadspit is also captured. She will need all her skills and abilities to survive and save them. Fantasy Robin Bassion, Lenape Middle School Tatlock, Ann. Promises to Keep. Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers, 2011. 978-0-7642-0809-6. 343p. $14.99. Gr. 7-12. Eleven-year-old Roz Anthony and her family escape an abusive home life when her mother decides to leave her husband and takes the children to another state. With the help of Roz’s grandfather they settle in Mills River, Illinois. The family is surprised to wake up one day and find a stranger on their front porch, reading the morning paper. That stranger is 70-year-old Tillie Monroe, the former owner of the house who aims to die in the house her husband built for her and where she lived all her married life. Tillie’s insistence on coming home proves a godsend for the family in ways they could never imagine. This is the wonderful and enticing story of Roz and her family and the struggles they endure as they attempt to rebuild their lives. Family Struggle Nora S. Neumann, Enfield Elementary Taylor, Greg. Killer Pizza: The Slice. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2011. 978-0-312-58088-9. 341p. $16.99. Gr. 5-8. It was a busy summer at the Killer Pizza in Hidden Hills, Ohio, learning to cook pizza and secretly fight invading monsters! Now rookie Monster Combat Officers (MCO’s) Toby, Annabel and Strobe are off to a routine training visit to see the Killer Pizza
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