Thursday, November 13, 2014

Teen Pick of the Week: Perfectly Good White Boy


Perfectly Good White Boy
by Carrie Mesrobian
Sean Norwhalt can read between the lines.

"You never know where we'll end up. There's so much possibility in life, you know?" Hallie said.

He knows she just dumped him. He was a perfectly good summer boyfriend, but now she's off to college, and he's still got another year to go. Her pep talk about futures and "possibilities" isn't exactly comforting. Sean's pretty sure he's seen his future and its "possibilities" and they all look disposable.

Like the crappy rental his family moved into when his dad left.

Like all the unwanted filthy old clothes he stuffs into the rag baler at his thrift store job.

Like everything good he's ever known.

The only hopeful possibilities in Sean's life are the Marine Corps, where no one expected he'd go, and Neecie Albertson, whom he never expected to care about.

"We're something else. Some other thing. I don't know what you'd call it. Maybe there's a word, though. Maybe I'll think of it tomorrow, when it won't matter," Neecie said.


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Small Fry Pick of the Week: Nest

Cover image for Nest

Nest by Esther Ehrlich

Grades 4+

Home is a cozy next on Cape Cod for eleven-year-old Naomi "Chirp" Prenstein; her older sister, Rachel; her psychiatrist father; and her dancer mother.  But when Chirp's mom develops symptoms of a serious disease, the family struggles with tragic changes.

Chirp gets comfort from watching her beloved wild birds.  She also finds a true friend in Joey, the mysterious boy from across the road.

Nest is Esther Ehrlich's remarkable debut novel.  Her lyrical writing is honest, humorous, and deeply affecting.  Long after you finish Nest, the spirit of Chirp and her loving family will stay with you.


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Thursday, November 6, 2014

Small Fry Pick of the Week: Mouseheart


Cover image for Mouseheart. Vol. 1
Mouseheart by Lisa Fielder

Ages 8-12

Hopper is Just an ordinary pet-shop mouse--until he escapes.  Soon he finds himself below the bustling streets of Brooklyn, deep within the untangles of transit tunnels, and in Atlantia, a glorious utopian rat civilization.

But all is not as it seems.  Hopper misses Pinkie and Pup, the siblings he list in the escape attempt.  Atlantia is constantly threatened by roving revels who with to bring the city to its knees.  And there are cats everywhere, cats who would normally eats a rodent in a second, but leave the rats unharmed . . .
and no one can seem to answer why.

Soon Hopper is caught in the cross-hairs of an epic battle, on that spans generations and species. As the clashes rage, Hopper learns terrible, extraordinary secrets.  Deadly secrets about Atlantia.  Painful secrets about his friends.  And one powerful secret about himself.


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Saturday, November 1, 2014

Small Fry Pick of the Week: Squeeze Play

Cover image for Squeeze play : a novel

Squeeze Play by Cal Ripken, JR.

Grades 5-8

Corey Maduro should be thrilled about the Orioles going to the big Grand Slam tournament.  But whenever he thinks about playing, he feels sick.  For one thing, he's in a monster hitting slump, which shows no signs of ending.  Then there's Katelyn Morris, who thinks she deserves Corey's center field job and tries to outdo him at everything.  

But Corey's biggest problem is his dad, who turns into a howling, wild-eyed maniac at his son's games.  Joe Maduro ridicules the other team, gets into shouting matches with parents, and screams at the umps when calls don't go the Orioles' way.  It's so embarrassing that Corey wants to crawl into a hole--except Katelyn would probably dig a better hole and make him feel worse.

With Squeeze Play, the best-selling team behind Hothead, Super Slugger, and Wild Pitch delivers another funny and action-packed home run.


Read a great book lately? Want to recommend it as Pick of the Week? Email me!

Click on the title to place it on hold at the Ventress Memorial Library!