The Pricker Boy by Reade Whinnem

Whinnem, R. (2009). The Pricker Boy. New York: Random House Books for Young Readers.

Summary

14 year old Stucks and his best friends Pete live year round at a sleepy lakeside community and await the summers when all the "summer kids" come and hang out. Stucks and Pete love listening to ghost stories around the campfire, especially one about The Pricker Boy. Legend tells a tale of a boy who was lured by a mean joke into the dark woods and got caught in an animal trap. When he didn't return, searchers found only blood and ripped clothes laying about, there was no sign of the boy. Now, Pricker Boy seeks revenge and he has found the perfect group of boys to seek it on. 

Review

Author Whinnem is great at making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and his silence between words is scary and believable. I was constantly looking over my shoulder while reading this and I would sleep with all of the lights on for a whole week after reading this book. Tweens will devour this book the same way they devour anything written by R.L Stine. 

Genre

Horror

Reading Age/Interest Level

10-13 years/Tween

Similar Books

Monstrumologist- Rick Yancey

Coraline- Neil Gaiman

Fear: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror- R.L Stine

Readers Annotation

Not your typical ghost story around the campfire! You will need all the lights on for this one!

Smile (graphic novel)- by Raina Telgemeier

Telgemeier, R. (2010). Smile. California: Scolastic/Graphix
Summary
This graphic novel covers the first five years following the author's accident that resulted in the loss of her two front teeth. She has to go through tortuous oral surgeries, embarrassing implants, false teeth, and headgear. To make matters worse, Raina is going through the equally painful adolescence full of body changes, first crushes, and major awkwardness.
Review
Never before have I read such an eerily similar version of my tween years! I was awkward, needed braces and headgear and middle school was horrible! It wasn't until I grew out of the awkward phase did I realize that I was actually not that cool, which could have fooled me because I had great friends who treated me the way I treated them! This book is a great graphic novel that sums up the painful adolescent stage perfectly.
Genre
Graphic Novel
Reading Age/Interest Level
9-13 years/Tween
Similar Books
Amelia Rules series- Jeff Gownley
Dork Diaries- Rachel Renee Russel
The Popularity Papers- Amy Ignatow
Awards
Nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Published Books for Tweens- 2011
Boston Globe Horn Book Awards for Excellence in Children's Literature- 2011
Author Information
Raina Telgemeier grew up in San Francisco, and moved to New York City to study illustration at the School of Visual Arts. Her comics have been nominated for the Ignatz, Cybil, and Eisner Awards, and have appeared on the web, in magazines, and in various anthologies. She is the adaptor and illustrator of the Baby-sitters Club graphic novels, which were selected by YALSA for their Great Graphic Novels for Teens list in 2006, as well as ALA's Top 10 Graphic Novels for Youth list.
Readers Annotation
Middle School is already full of changing bodies, first crushes, and major awkwardness, add embarrassing head gear and false teeth and you have a story that beats all.

Amelia Rules (graphic novel) - Jimmy Gownley

Gownley, J. (2010). Amelia Rules: Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular. New York: Athenum Publishing.
Summary
Amelia McBride returns in this all new hilarious adventure to stay above being a social outcast that stems from her best friend Rhonda's try at being popular. Amelia and Rhonda consult the "Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular" in their quest to stay "normal". She tries everything, new hairstyles, attitudes and friends with determination and humor, but realizes that she is happy with the way that she is.
Review
I am a bit partial to this graphic novel series because my tween is also names Amelia and her and Amelia McBride are exactly alike in their mishaps and adventure. This volume shows the importance of being popular in middle school but the even more important discovery of being true to oneself. Whether Amelia and her best friend Rhonda are trying out for the cheerleading squad or running away from an angry mob, readers will laugh out loud and relate in more ways then they think.
Genre
Graphic Novel
Reading Age/Interest Level
9-12 years/Tween
Similar Books
Amelia Rules series by Jimmy Gownley
Babymouse series by Jennifer Holm
Babysitter's Club series by Ann. M. Martin
Readers Annotation
Amelia is just trying to stay below the radar in middle school but then disaster strikes and she must prove to her peers that she is not unpopular, but just being herself. 

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Spinelli, J. (2002). Stargirl. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Summary
Susan is an eccentric and bizarre new classmate at Area High School, a school that prides itself on popularity and conformity. She wears costumes to school, drops change on the sidewalk for those who need it more than her, and she cheers for both teams because she doesn't like winning. Nicknamed Stargirl, she is nothing like anyone has ever experienced and everything that Leo has ever wanted. Throughout the school year Leo tries to get others to accept Stargirl for who she is but when that fails, he begins to look at her the same way others do and finds himself trying to change her, and himself.
Review
I love anything by Spinelli and this book does not disappoint. Tweens need books like this that show them that being different is ok. This book shows that individuality is a hard thing to hold onto during a time where everyone wants to be like everyone else and Stargirl shows them that middle school is a great place to express themselves.
Genre
Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Reading Age/Interest Level
9-12 years/Tween
Similar  Books
Love, Stargirl- Jerry Spinelli
The Great Gilly Hopkins- Katherine Paterson
Loser- Jerry Spinelli
Awards
New York Time Bestseller
Parents Choice Gold Award Winner
ALA Top 10 Books Award
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Characters
Leo Borlock- The narrator of the book. Fell in love with Stargirl.
Susan "Stargirl" Caraway - a new face to Mica Area High School. Stargirl is different from everyone else at MAHS. She captures Leo Borlock's heart by just one smile. She brings the idea of individuality to MAHS, something that the school has never encountered before, and the student body is not always sure how to grasp it.
Cinnamon- a friendly rat that is Stargirl's most cherished companion and sidekick. He listens to Stargirl and does what she says.
Barney - an ancient, 60 million year-old, Paleocene era rodent skull that Archie keeps around to prove a point throughout the book, until the end, when Barney is buried.
Mr. McShane - Mica High's faculty representative to the state contest. He drives Stargirl and Leo to Phoenix, Arizona where the state competition is held.
Hillari Kimble - the girlfriend of Wayne Parr. She cannot stand Stargirl, hating her for the attention she gets .
Dori Dilson - the best friend of Stargirl Caraway. At first, she is very shy, but Stargirl helps her to open up more towards others.
Wayne Parr - the boyfriend of Hillari Kimble. In terms of achievement, he is a nobody. When asked by Kevin on Hot Seat what his inspiration is, Wayne answers that it is the magazine GQ.
Archie Brubaker - a teacher who works on Saturdays. He is a retired paleontology professor whose home, full of bones, is open to the students each Saturday. An old man who knows his stuff. Archie can be confusing since he is a man of riddles.
Kevin Quinlan - the best friend of Leo Borlock. He is the host of Hot Seat. Kevin is one of the few who continue to acknowledge Leo while he is dating Stargirl.
Peter Sinkowitz - the boy who lives across the street from Stargirl. Peter is a little boy that Stargirl keeps an eye on. She takes random pictures and notes about him for a scrapbook she will give him when he comes to an age at which he can appreciate it.
Señor Saguaro - the giant cactus that grows in Archie's backyard. When Leo and Kevin go to Archie for answers to their problems, Archie turns to Senor Saguaro for help and advice.
Mallory Stillwell - the captain of the MAHS cheerleading squad. She invites Stargirl to be a cheerleader after Stargirl wows her classmates with stunts at football games.
Readers Annotation
Would you change who you are in order to fit it? Even if that meant losing everything you believed in, including yourself?

Bud Not Buddy- Christopher Paul Curtis

Curtis, C. (2004). Bud not buddy. United States: Delacorte Books for Young Readers.

Summary

Bud Caldwell is an orphan living in Flint, Michigan during the Great Depression.  When his mother dies, he is placed into different foster homes and orphanages and he only has a bag of stones, a photograph of his mother when she was a child and five concert posters for Herman C. Callaway and band that he can call his own.

The story begins with Bud being placed with a foster family that is cruel and abusive and after being tormented and locked up in a shed overnight with an angry swarm of hornets, he runs away determined to find Herman C. Callaway who Bud believes is his father. Readers will be encouraged by Bud's determination and heart as he makes it to Grand Rapids, Michigan and where he meets his "father" Herman Callaway and his jazz band.

Review

This is a great story about a young African American boy who does not let the circumstances of his race or the time of the Great Depression get in the way of his determination to find where he belongs. Author Christopher Curtis balances heartbreak, meanness, and racism with love, family, and humor and readers will want to read this book over and over again. It is hard for kids to get into reading historical fiction but this book, tweens will love because it generates a young boy's powerful fight to get what he wants, even if it means breaking a few rules.

Genre

Historical Fiction

Reading Age/Interest Level

9-12 years old/Tweens

Similar Books

Because of Winn Dixie- Kate Di.Camillo

Hatchet- Gary Paulsen

The Watsons go to Birmingham- Christopher Paul Curtis

Characters

Buddy Caldwell - Bud is a ten-year old African-American orphan boy who has seen and suffered through a great deal in his short ten years, but who is definitely a survivor. His determination to find his father and his ability to use his survival skills to do so make him a heroic character for the reader.

Mr. Herman E. Calloway - He is the band leader of a Depression Era Negro Band whom Bud believes is his father. He turns out to be a rather cranky old man who doesn’t trust Bud and acts mean to nearly everyone. He is actually a very sad man who yearns for the daughter he drove away with his need for her to be what he wanted her to be.

Angela Janet Caldwell - Although she has died before the story begins, her character is a very real presence for most of the other characters in the story. 

Todd Amos and his parents - This is the foster family from whom Bud runs away after he is abused. They are typical of some foster families who would take in children just for the money the state would pay.

                                                                       Awards

                                                        Newbery Award Winner- 2000

William Allen White Children's Book Award-2002

Coretta Scott King Award- 2000

Readers Annotation

Bud Caldwell has no mom, dad, or home and definitely has nothing to lose as he uses his only possessions to guide him to a place called home. 

Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan

Vaughan, B. (2003). Runaways: pride and joy. New York: Marvel Comics.
Summary
Alex, Karolina, Gert, Chase, Molly and Nico dread having to get together once a year when their parents discuss their "yearly charitable contributions to society". This year, when the parents have their meeting, the tweens decide to sneak in and see what’s so important. Unfortunately, the secret meeting they stumble upon reveals the truth that their parents are all evil super humans and are out to destroy humanity and anyone who gets in their way.
Review
I am a huge fan of anything Marvel! I call it my guilty pleasure. When I saw this series, I knew that it was my duty as a Children's Librarian to purchase them...lol. This is a great series that is easy to follow and a great way to explain the back stories of the superheros we as adults grew up with. The illustrations are awesome and the story time is so cool! My tweens love this series and it is popular with both boys and girls.
Genre
Graphic Novel
Interest Level
9-12 years old/Tweens
Similar Graphic Novels
X-MEN series
The Good Neighbor series
Annotation
What would you do if you parents who you love and admire turned out to be evil villains who wanted to destroy all of humanity?

Sorcerer's Apprentice: The Movie

Bruckheimer, J. & Turteltaub, J. (2010). The sorcerer's apprentice [Motion Picture]. United States: Walt Disney Studios. 

Summary

In 740 A.D Maxim Horvath is an apprentice of Merlin but betrays him along with the evil sorcerer Morgana. As Morgana delivers a fatal blow to Merlin, Merlin's other apprentices, Balthazar and Veronica try to save Merlin and defeat Morgana and Maxim. Phew. Oh yeah, Veronica's body is overtaken by Morgana's soul and in order to save the real Veronica, Balthazar imprisons the two in a Grimhold, which is in the form of a nesting doll. It is up to Balthazar to find the next Prime Sorcerer. Got it? It gets easier to understand. 

Jump to present day and Balthazar has located Dave who is the next Prime Sorcerer, the only problem is that Dave wants nothing to do with his destiny. Will Balthazar be able to convince Dave to take on this task, or will humanity be destroyed by Morgana and Maxim?

Review

How could this not be entertaining? This movie has adventure, mystery, mythology, and even romance. Fans of the book will be pleased to see that this movie follows closely and does not leave out important parts like so many other movies from books do. Tweens can relate to Dave who is a quirky, impressionable, and genuine human being who is just trying to survive the typical drama of growing up. 

Genre

Movie

Interest Level

Tweens-Adults

Similar Movies

Cirque du Freak

Harry Potter movies

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief

Annotation

Dave Stuler is just trying to grow up in a world that for whatever reason, doesn't cut him a break. Now, he is up against a whole new battle when it is discovered that he is not only a sorcerer, but thee Prime sorcerer that is chosen to save the world. 

A Year Without Rain- Selena Gomez and the Scene

Selena Gomez. (2010). A year without rain. Los Angeles: Hollywood Records. 

Summary

A Year Without Rain, is Selena Gomez and the Scene's second album and was released September 17, 2010. The sound of this album is a mix of pop, electronic, and dance. According to Selena Gomez the majority of the songs were written for her fans and all of them talked about love, freedom, and living in the moment. This album sold 66,000 copies in its first week of release and reached number 4 on the US charts. Critics have labeled this album a growth in the bands development and is more serious lyrically and musically then their first album. This was also the first album that Selena Gomez wrote and produced the songs herself. 

Review

Ugh, guilty pleasure!! I have a tween daughter and I was dreading replacing my indie/hardcore CD's with this cheesy music CD. I have in to my daughters pleas and after I made sure all the windows were up, I let her listen to her CD. To my dismay, I was singing along by the end of the trip! This CD is catchy, safe, and all around fun. It is so sad to have your daughter grow up from Raffi and Hannah Montana, but I do not mind to listening to this. All of the songs are well written, age appropriate, and all around fun to listen to. (I even will admit that I eagerly bought my daughter and I tickets to see Selena Gomez and the Scene at our local fair!)

Genre

Music-CD

Interest Level

Tween-Teen

Similar Artists

Taylor Swift

Miley Cyrus

Justin Beiber

Awards

Teen Choice Award- 2010

MTV Europe Music Award- 2010

People's Choice Award- 2010

Annotation

If a punk rock mom allows this to play in her car, it says something. Try it out!

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Hahn

Hahn, M. (2010). The ghost of crutchfield hall. New York: Clarion Books.

Plot

Twelve year old Florence Crutchfield figured that her life at her uncles manor in the English countryside would have to better than Miss Medleycoates's Home for Orphan Girls. She would finally have family, a place to call home, and a cousin who she would call friend. Instead, she arrived to a crumbling old manor with acres of empty space and hallways that are both empty and cold. She will live there with her uncle, her mean and nasty aunt, her invalid cousin and a few servants, and the ghost of Sophie, her cousin who died mysteriously on the grounds of the manor. When things start to get worse as the anniversary of Sophie's death draws near, it is up to Florence and James to send Sophie back where she belongs, or they will be next.

Review

What a bummer! This cover had me at hello and I could not wait to dive into it. Well I dove headfirst into an empty pool. Hahn seemed to take the good parts of the Secret Garden, added a bratty ghost, and ended with little hope for any of the characters. There were too many references or inside jokes that would go completely over the heads of tweens and the writing style was boring and lacked depth. Although Hahn is a great writer and throughout the book she would make me pause with her brilliant sentences, the story needed more work.

Genre

Horror

Reading Level/Interest Level

9-12 years/Tween

Similar Books

Coraline- Neil Gaiman

The Dollhouse Murders- Betty Wright

The Haunting- Joan Nixon

Readers Annotation

Florence was expecting a new home, a new family, and a place to call her own. What she wasn't expecting is to be possessed and haunted by her deceased cousin and in a race to save herself from trading positions. Florence's uncle said that the dead don't return, he was wrong.

Finding My Place by Traci Jones

Jones, T. (2011). My place. New York: Farrar, Straus and Girox. 

Plot

The year 1975 is a year full of bell bottoms, flower power, and shag carpet, but to African American Tiphanie Jayne Baker her tween life has flipped upside down as her Civil Rights activists parents transplant her directly into the front line of white ritzy suburbia. Tiphanie is the only black girl in her high school and is trying to be one step up from the "Barbies" at her school. When she finally meets a friend who is a loner like herself, Tiphanie begins to feel comfortable and accepting of her new life, which in turns, makes her feel like she is giving up a piece of herself. 

Review

This is a powerful and truthful story about a tween girl growing up during a time where race is still an issue. Despite the fact that her parents are well educated, have well paying jobs, and have experience in fighting the big fight, Tiphanie is simply a girl trying to fit into a world that doesn't want her. This book had a great twist when readers are introduced to Jackie who is a hippy and self proclaimed " white trash" girl who becomes close to Tiphanie but is hiding a secret and past of her own and with the help of Tiphanie, Jackie can also start to feel comfortable in her own skin. 

Genre

Contemporary Realistic Fiction/Historical Fiction

Reading Level/Interest Level

5ht-8th grade/Tween

Similar Books

One Crazy Summer- Williams-Garcia, Rita

Small Steps- Louis Sachar

Readers Annotation

When Tiphanie is plucked out of her comfort zone she must fit herself into a world that doesn't accept her and when she finally starts to feel accepted, she feels like she is losing part of herself. Will she ever find a happy medium?

There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by Louis Sachar

Sachar, L. (1987). There's a boy in the girl's bathroom. New York: Yearling Books.  

Plot

Fifth grader Bradley Chalkers is the class clown, bully, friendless and antisocial. He finds solace and friendship with cracked and chipped pottery animals who motivate him to be brave and hides his sadness in their broken pieces. The new kid in school tries and befriends Bradley but backs off when he realizes he is too hard to like. Feeling like even more of a failure and acting out even more than ever, Bradley's life is turned upside down when the school counselor arrives. She truly cares about him and works with Bradley in helping him to gain his confidence and respect for himself and others.

Review

Author Sachar creates middle school angst in such a dramatic and realistic way that readers will cringe at his setbacks and applaud at his milestones. There is a Bradley in every school and rather than turn him away and label him, this book teachers kids to look deeper and to not give up on one another. This book was one of my favorite books when I was in junior high and I never hesitate to recommend it or booktalk it to tweens now. Although the cover has been updated, the content is still as important and dedicated to changing bad behavior that tween today can still relate.

Genre

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Reading Level/Interest Age

4th-8th grade/ Tween

Similar Books

Small Steps- Louis Sachar

How to Be a Perfect Person in Three Days- Stephen Manes

Frindle- Andrew Clements

Characters

Bradley Chalkers - Is the main antagonist in the beginning, but gradually becomes the main protagonist in the middle and end. He has "serious behavior issues," causing Ms. Ebbel (his teacher) to send him to Carla, the new school counselor.

Jeff Fishkin - Is the main protagonist in the beginning, then switches to the main antagonist in the beginning of the middle section, but quickly transfers back to the co-protagonist. Has a crush on Colleen, who likes him back. Bradley's best friend.

Colleen Verigold -She has a crush on Jeff. She has a birthday at the end of the story and invites all her friends, as well as Jeff and Bradley.

Carla Davis - the school counselor. Unlike the teachers at the school, she prefers to persuade students to do the right thing instead of outright telling them what to do.

Readers Annotation

Just when he thought that the world has given up on him, Bradley Chalkers has been given another chance by someone he least expected.

Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader

Leader, J. (2010). Nice and Mean. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

Plot

  Sachi (the nice girl) and Marina (the mean girl) are forced to work together while taking the same Video Skills elective class in their middle school. Told by alternating "nice" and "mean" voices, author Jessica Leader takes what could have been a cliche middle school meltdown and turned it into something quite fascintaing. Readers get to know the backgrounds of each girl and find out that they are not too different from one another and they use their differences to help each other out in areas that they need to change. Sachi is of Indian decent and readers are introduced to Indian culture tween girls are raised in this homelife. We also get to see why Marina is the way that she is and it is proof that there is always two sides to every story.

Review

  Again, Jessica Leader surprised me by writing a book that from all inclinations felt like it would turn into a cliched tween drama novel. When I finished this book I was pleasently surprised at the depth of her characters and the back stories to each one. Too many times you hear about mean girls in middle school but you rarely figure out why they are the way that they are. Nice and Mean does just that. Readers see relationships grow, secrets revealed, and tweens mature. Leaders' writing style truly captures that perfect tween voice and captivates all.

Genre

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Reading Level/Interest Age

Tween/9-12 years/5th-8th grade

Similar Books

Devon Delaney Should Totally Know Better- Lauren Barnhodlt

The Melting of Maggie Bean- Tricia Rayburn

This is Me From Now On- Barbara Dee

Personal Thoughts

  I am not a huge fan of mean girls novels but this one took me by surprise. Maybe it was the deep background of Sachi and her Indian culture or the fact that even that mean girls get picked on. This was an easy read and a perfect rendition of what tween culture is all about.

Characters

• Sachi Parikh- A nice smart middle schooler who tends to let others walk all ove her.
• Marina Glass- Outspoken mean girl who hangs with the popular kids and comes to the realization that popularity doesn't always bring happiness.
• Rachel Winter- Marinas' so called best friend. Complete mean girl and will do whatever it takes to get to the top, even if it means backstabing her best friend.
• Flora- Sachi's friend even though she too tends to take advantage of Sachi from time to time

Readers Annotation

Mean girls 2.0 ahead. Readers beware!