Amphibian by Carla Gunn

A first novel by writer Carla Gunn who also teaches psychology at St Thomas University, in Fredericton NB.
Mission Amphibian is the brainchild of Phin and his friend Bird. The plan is to rescue a white frog ( Cuddles) from the classroom aquarium.
However Amphibian is about so much more . Phin is in grade four and his mum is very much a part of his story - she is exasperated by his fear of sleeping alone in his own bed, and by his use of inappropriate language at school. Even though she sometimes agrees that he was provoked.
Phin is a boy who thinks and worries about almost everything. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the natural and scientific world which leads to even more anxiety about what the future holds for plants and animals.Thus leading to the freeing of Cuddles the white frog.
It is hard not to be utterly charmed by this brilliant boy - whose thoughts are very wise for one so young. He questions everything , a nuisance to his teachers, an irritant to his psychologist , even his mum sometimes wishes he would just stop his constant demands on her time.

Readers I will write more about Phin later- HJR

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Anderson has written a novel that will engage teen readers as well as their teachers and parents. The main character ,Melinda Sordino is starting High School. She has become a pariah amongst her social group.Her crime according to her former friends was that she called the cops to break up an end of summer party. Melinda feels like an outsider and becomes depressed. Readers will empathize with her- laugh with her and feel just as confused as she does as she tries to fit herself back into a community of friends , teachers and family.
The book is well written realistic fiction . I recommend for ages 14-20.

"I think both Twilight and The Secret Life of Bees would be interesting for HS readers. I am wondering what the male readers would think of each, esp Twilight. Probably many teenage boys would LOVE to be vampires...with all the advantages!" RH
Thanks RH I still do not really know how to let people post comments
HR

Marcelo in the real world by Francisco Stork

Marcelo in the real world
Well written, absorbing, about Aspergers and 16-year-old Marcelo, whose father wants him to work at his law office for the summer. This worries Marcelo but he does as his father wants and learns some coping skills. The reader learns how this boy thinks and wonders and learns how to make sense of the 'real world', when all his life his internal world has been fine as was. Peers, parents and teachers will find that this book provides insight into many of the issues surrounding adolescence. Marcelo finds himself in social, emotional and educational situations that would perplex even the most 'average teen'. He is a critical thinker and has the ability to solve and resolve many of the issues, beginning friendships, decoding co- workers confusing conversations, and beginning to make reasonable assumptions about what is going on in the law office. A book I found to be very readable and interesting at many levels. I plan to recommend to Secondary English course

Cathy's Book

Running press book publishers has released a very interesting book ; Cathy's Book

by Stewart and Weisman

I resisted reading this book as it looked like it might be trying too hard to be interesting and hip to young readers. I finally opened it up and found a pretty good story interspersed with the main character Cathy's drawings and journal entries. The drawings and handwritten notes provided a side story for the main story.
Cathy meets a mysterious man Victor - he takes her airplane flying , they have a date - she dumps creme brule on his head , he consoles her when she tells him about her dad dying. The plot thickens as Cathy tries to find out more about Victor by breaking into his bio tech company office, and by visiting China town to seek out his uncle.
I found the whole thing fun, but at times I went back to look at previous entries and drawings to make sense of what was going on. The reader will have to pay attention and become engaged - I think most will.

summer reads

Title: How I live now by Meg Rosoff

Author: Meg Rosoff

Review:

The book is about two teenagers who are facing a bleak terror filled world of war and terrorism. The setting is England, the time is the near future, the mood is is mixture of tender young love and the fear of the invading armies.