Heros of Olympus

by Rick Riordan

After going through the Titan War, Percy was ready to relax and settle into a teenagers life.  He tries to be convinced that the "Prophesy of Seven will not come about in his lifetime.  The first book of this series doesn't even have Percy in it, except for some mentions.  It is about Jason who wakes up to find himself holding hands with a girl he's never seen before.  Because of the Mist, he has two best friends (Piper and Leo) that mean nothing to him, but they seem to care a lot about him.  When things go south and monsters attack Jason realizes that he is a trained warrior.  He doesn't remember any training or battles, but he does know exactly how to handle the situation.  When the faun (I mean saytar) helps him get back to Camp Halfblood Jason remembers that he is a son of Jupiter (Zeus?) and for some reason he's been put in this position by Juno/Hera.  The situation is complicated by the fact that they need to deal with the Roman gods as well as the Greek.  All the same people are in both sets, but what you can be sure to expect from Ares is foreign to Mars.  Where Hephaestus may be a sideline character, Vulcan has a temper and then some.  Jason, Piper and Leo set off.  It's obvious that Hera is using both Jason and the others at Camp Half-Blood as pawns in some game, but what's the game? 

Audience
Same as Percy Jackson, maybe a year higher in reading level

What I Love About These Books
1) Riordan's character development is superb.  I was invested in each character and they all have their own story.
2) I love the nuance of difference between the Greek and Roman gods, and the difference between the Greek and Roman way of life.  It was exciting to see that two things I thought were exactly the same are really kind of opposite.
3) I'm gonna say it again, I am invested in each character.  I love the title characters, and I dearly love a certain goddess that only gets a single chapter.  They all have a part to play and they are all just doing their best.
4) I was impressed that certain characters from the original series were brought back and developed

Cautions
1) The first book is all about Jason with only passing mention of Percy.  The second book is Percy's story with Jason's name cropping up here and there.  I missed the characters of the first book in the second.  As of yet their has been no crossover between the two
2) This series will not be finished for another year.  That means we will be waiting for everyone to live happily ever after (or just live period) and not know for quite a while.

Series
The Lost Hero
The Son of Neptune
The Mark of Athena
The Doors of Death (To be released fall of 2013)
1 Undisclosed Title 

Artemis Fowl




This book deserves a big picture on the blog

by Eoin Colfer
Okay, I confess, I've fallen in love with this kid. At the start of the series Artemis Fowl II is 12 and concerned about the future of his family.  His father disappeared 2 years ago in a failed business venture.  His mother has retreated into herself, leaving Artemis to handle the family fortune.  Being Irish, he comes up with a plan-separate a leprechaun from it's gold.  What Artemis realizes shortly after researching his plan is that leprechon comes from LEPrecon- an elite division of the Lower Elements Police.  The Lower Elements are the fantasy creatures humans have driven under the earth.  Their civilization predates humans to the extent that humans are referred to as "mud people."  Artemis soon learns all he needs to know, and with his trusty guard (and butler) Butler at his side, he sets it in motion.  He ends up kidnapping Captain Holly Short, the first ever female LEPrecon officer, much to his detriment.  Holly is spunky, independent, and likable, so her commanding officer and the LEP technology consultant will spare nothing to get her back.  With Artemis, Butler, and house servant Juliet on one side, and Holly, Commander Root, and tech savvy Foaly on the other, the battle of wits and weapons is epic

Audience

This is geared toward teenage boys and has a Shrek-esque humor.  The reading level would be late 5th grade at the earliest.  I've heard the book described as "die hard with fairies" but the pace is slower than that.  It involves a lot of planning and plotting, plenty of banter, and a fair amount of bathroom humor.

What I Love About These Books
Where do I start?
1) Artemis.  He is intelligent and sharp tongued, but with a heart he is afraid to acknowledge.  Sometimes we are left to guess how much is his plan and how much is an accident. 
2) Holly.  I love how she can be spunky and strong, yet still have a sweet side
3) The witty repartee between the characters-I was giggling a lot in this series with the one liners.

4) Butler.  I have a protectors personality,  and I could relate to Butler's feelings and struggles with Artemis, and also his conflicting role to protect Juliet

5) Mulch Diggums.  Almost all the bathroom humor centers around this single character, and I laughed myself silly.  Yes, I know that puts my maturity level at about 7, but I don't care.  It was funny.

6) For all the humor I found my heartstrings pretty well pulled at certain points
7) Artemis' speech on his name at the end of The Eternity Code gave me goosebumps, big time.

Cautions

1) Yes, Artemis is a criminal mastermind, and yes, you are supposed to root for him to win.  That's the reason it's specifically labled as young adult, rather than general children's.  The first time I read the book I didn't like him, but now that his character makes sense to me I absolutely love it.

2) The scenes with Mulch and his bodily functions are integral to the story.  Again, I found it funny and I don't usually find that kind of thing funny.

3) The action is not as fast as other descriptions might lead you to believe.  If you don't enjoy the banter and planning, the action scenes won't be enough to get you through the book.
4) However, there are action scenes, and they're graphic for a childrens/young adult book.  It talks about spines being shattered, and at one point someone has a finger removed.
5) The first book is somewhat of an introduction.  The character of Artemis is only minimally developed.  This is because his development is the overarching point of the series-you might be better off to start with book 2
6) The Atlantis Complex is a pretty weak story, but the others are fabulous-especially the last one

Series
Artemis Fowl
The Artic Incident
The Eternity Code
The Opal Deception
The Lost Colony
The Time Paradox
The Atlantis Complex
The Last Guardian

Book of A Thousand Days

by Shannon Hale 

Dashti finds work her first day in the capitol city.  She is lady's maid to Lady Saren, and starts work now, on the eve of Saren being locked up in a tower for seven years to "reflect on her wrongs" in offending powerful ruler Kahn Tegus by refusing his marriage proposal.  Dashti does her best to serve Saren, but Saren is not able to handle the situation, leaving Dashti to deal with most of the problems without so much as encouragement.  Saren's current betrothed comes to visit, but she is too scared to talk to him, so Dashti speaks in her place.  One night wolves attack the tower, and Saren's fear leaves her wholly unable to cope.  Dashti improvises a solution to save the both of them, praying her strength will be enough to save the both of them.

Audience

This is a pretty faithful adaptation of the Grimm's fairytale The Maid of Maleen and deals with trauma and mental illness. I feel it is wholly inappropriate for children, but wonderful for those who can handle a dark story.  The reading level is a little less than halfway through fifth grade, but I couldn't imagine being ready for it before 7th.  Maybe that's just me.

What I Love About This Book

Dashti is so strong and kind.  Many have criticized her as too perfect, but I felt she was merely naive most of the book.  Saren's character was believable and by the end I was rooting for her.  The romantic hero was one that made me happy, again the kind I as a person could fall in love with.  For a young adult book, I liked the brutally honest treatment of their recover from different ordeals

Cautions

1) It's dark.  No, really, it's the darkest of all the Grimms fairy tales I've ever read and I have read most of the original fairy tales.

2) There is a lot of classism in the story, in fact it's a central plot.  Dashti believes that it is the will of the gods that she is in a lower class, and sees herself as less of a person because of that.

3) The beginning is hard to follow because the narrator is from a completely different culture(medieval Mongolian.)  Terms like Mucker and the way they tell time are left for the reader to infer.

Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch

by Eileen Spinelli

Mr. Hatch is a very unpleasent person.  No one likes him because he doesn't like any of them.  Then on Valentines day he gets a package delivered to him.  It is a box of chocolates and a HUGE paper heart saying "somebody loves you."  Mr. Hatch can't believe it, somebody loves him!  He walks on the street and makes sure to smile at everyone. He wants to thank the person who loves him.  He goes to work and talks to all his coworkers.  After all, one of them might love him.  He starts coming out on the porch with lemonade and brownies for the neigbors, because one of his neighbors might love him.  After a while he becomes an important part of the community.  Everyone knows how great Mr. Hatch is.  He does nothing but help and lift others.  Then the postman comes back and apologizes for the mistake.  The note and chocolates were ment for someone else.  Mr. Hatch says the cocolates are gone, but he still has the note.  After giving the note back, he withdraws into himself again, because he thinks that nobody really loves him.  The neighborhood notices.  They get togeher and ask him to come out of the house for a minute.  The town has gathered for a party and hoisted a banner over the town square saying "Everybody Love You Mr. Hatch"  Mr. Hatch unobtrusively wipes away a tear and vounteers to bring the lemonade.

Audience
1st on up.  It's geared 1st through 5th-the reading level is late 1st early 2nd

What I Love About This Book
I love the idea of the influence of a single person.  I also love the idea that attitude changes everything.  This book could easily be used to teach the ripple effect of positive actions.  If you are looking for positive books for a child's repitoire, this one teaches so many good things without ever being preachy.

Daughter of a King

by Rachel Ann Nunes

I gave this book to all my nieces one year.  It is a poweful allegory of a couple who have a little girl.  They teach her that she is the daughter of the King, and one day it will be time to return home to him.  We follow this little girl through her life as she learns how to be a princess to the king, in being honest, kind, and hardworking.  She learns that not everyone does know of the king.  She marries a man that wants to return home to the palace and they are very happy together as they raise their son.  When the time comes, they do begin the trek to the palace of the king and find it difficult.  Just when they are sure they can go no further, they find themselves at the gates.  Our princess finds herself hesitant to go inside because she is ragged and does not feel like a princess.  The king steps forward and embraces her, welcoming his daughter home.

Audience
4 on up.  I love it and I reread it when life gets a little harder

What I Love About This Book
The illustrations are wonderful, and the storytelling is sensitive and beautiful.  I love this child-friendly outline to the purpose of life.

Cautions
This book is unashamedly religious.  If you don't want that, look elsewhere

The Polar Express

by Chris Van Allsberg

This book was influencial in my childhood.  If you are familiar with the movie, know that the book is not the same experience.  The movie added so much that was not in the book.  The Polar Express is simple and beautiful.  The storytelling is intentionally minimalist with Allsberg's traditional genius illustrations.  It is the story of a boy who gets the honor of riding the Polar Express to the north pole on Christmas eve and is selected of all the children there to recieve the first gift of Christmas.

Audience

I think you would need to be about 2nd grade to really enjoy this one.

What I Love
The last page.  I'm not gonna say any more than that.

Oh, the Places You'll Go

by Dr. Suess

This book is a narrative of a young person's life.  As they set out on their journey they will begin to make choices and this gives perspective to ups and downs and eventual success.

Audience

Anyone from kindergarten upward who is at a starting point in their life

What I Love About This Book
I love that it gives some attention and focus to the downs of life.  This book talks a lot about the hard things ahead, such as being in a slump, of having a falling out, of being lonely, and it does so with the assurance that these hard times will pass.  The book promises that if you keep on keeping on you will overcome all trials and that the happiness (both at the end of the journey and the journey itself) will outweigh the trials.  With a guarantee of success(98 3/4%), this book sends you out to climb your mountain today.