Ship Breaker

Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi, is a YA novel about earth in the future after the oil age. Ships in this future run by wind and solar energy. The main character, Nailer, works the dangerous and dirty job of light crew, breaking down old oil tankers. He lives a lowly disadvantaged life and has to choose between saving a rich girl's life or changing his own. He chooses to save the rich girl and ends up changing his life for the better anyway.

This is a great book for boys, ages 14 and up, interested in technology and gritty adventure stories.

Pendragon Book One: The Merchant of Death

Pendragon Book One: The Merchant of Death, by D.J. MacHale, is about a 14-year-old boy, Bobby Pendragon, who is thrust into a life he's unfamiliar with. The book starts off with Bobby leading a normal life, kissing a girl, playing in the basketball play-offs, and loving his dog. Until his Uncle Press shows up unexpectedly and convinces Bobby to go on an unknown adventure.

Bobby travels to another dimension and saves a world. He learns that he is a Traveler and has a responsibility to fight evil throughout the universe and other alternate dimensions. He's not sure he wants that life, but after his family disappears, he's has no choice but to continue being a Traveler with his Uncle Press.

The story is delivered in a unique way. Bobby writes journals to his friends back on Earth. We read the journals along with his friends.

This book is the first in a series of books. The plot is set up well to carry on for many books. With alternate dimensions and other worlds, the possibilities for Bobby Pendragon are endless.

This series of books is geared toward junior high boys. There's lots of action, a small bit of language, and cute girls.

New Book Contract

One of my middle grade novels is being published by Royal Fireworks Press. They are an educational publisher for the gifted and talented. The book is called Most Beautiful. It's about a girl's struggle to discover true beauty set against the backdrop of September 11th. It's one of my special books that I hoped would one day get published.

I just finished reading Louisiana's Song, by Kerry Madden. It's a snapshot of life in the mountains of North Carolina in the 60s. The voice is fantastic and the plot is interesting. This would be a great book for a child that's interested in bluegrass music. I enjoyed reading it.

The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini is a story about the former and the modern Afghanistan through the eyes of a young boy. It's powerful and unforgettable. It enlightened and moved me. Khaled Hosseini gives an inside look at the violence that the Afghan people have been battling against for centuries. This is a YA/adult novel, not for young children.

The 39 Clues; The Maze of Bones

The first book in the 39 Clues series is called, The Maze of Bones, by Rick Riordan. He does a great job setting up the premise of the story. Two orphans must choose whether they want to take an inheritance or accept a quest. They accept the quest. There is peril and intrigue as soon as they begin the quest. Mysterious characters are introduced and little known history is woven seamlessly into the story. I found it very interesting.

Each chapter focuses on the perspective of a different character. This approach to the story occasionally interrupted the flow for me.

This is an excellent book series for any adventurous child that enjoys reading a good mystery.

Benjamin Pratt & The Keeper of the School

Benjamin Pratt & The Keeper of the School is the latest book by Andrew Clements, my son's favorite author. It's the first book in a series.

The book is a mystery set in a school about to be torn down to make a theme park. Benjamin and his sidekick, Jill, are trying to save the school by finding clues left by the founders of the school.

I enjoyed the book and will read the next book in the series when it comes out.

Landon Snow And the Auctor's Riddle

Landon Snow And the Auctor's Riddle, by R.K. Mortenson is the first book in a series of six or seven books. I think the message of the book is great, but I got a little bogged down with the fantasy details. I wondered as I read if all the detail was necessary.