AMELIA LOST, by Candace Fleming

The story: Amelia Earhart was the most famous woman in the United States (and maybe the world!) when her plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937. This is the story of her record-setting life and mysterious death.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G, Nudity G; Sexual Content G; Violence G; Magic & the Occult: G; GLBT content: G; substance abuse PG; adult themes (implied extramarital affair) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Fleming starts out with Earhart's plane going down over the Pacific, then skillfully weaves the story of her life (including her role as an inspiration to women in striving to achieve things that were important to them, not just what was considered "ladylike") in with scenes of the various search-and-rescue attempts and the accounts of those who claimed to have picked up her SOS transmissions via shortwave radio. Hand this one to the girl who likes non-fiction and may also need a little encouragement to step up!

MIDDLE SCHOOL: ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN, by James Patterson and Julia Bergen

The story: Rafe and his sister Georgia are back! Sibling rivalry, nothing: they're putting on the gloves to duke it out over a whole bunch of different middle school topics, like their spoofs of the Gettysburg Address, their take on bullies, and whether school dances are torture or tons of fun. Keep track as you go along to see who wins the Ultimate Showdown!

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG (lots of fart talk); Nudity G; Sexual Content G; Violence G; Substance Abuse G; Magic & the Occult G; GLBT Content G; Adult Themes PG (bullying); overall rating G.

Liz's comments: If you haven't read the earlier books in Patterson's Middle School series, it might take you, like, 30 seconds to figure out what's going on here. Rafe and Georgia are very close in age, but totally opposite in personality, so their views of middle school are pretty much polar opposites, which is part of what makes this book so fun. It's really not clear how much of the writing is done by Patterson and how much by the sub-author listed in the small print (Julia Bergen on this one), and it's not quite fair that Patterson has so many blockbuster series going on all at the same time (possible because of the afore-mentioned sub-authors!) but this one is funny and fun, and boys especially will cheer for Rafe, a very likable rule breaker.

DON'T TURN AROUND, by Michelle Gagnon

The story: Noa, the ultimate hacker, awakens to find out that the ultimate hack has been performed on her: literally. Someone has cut into her body to perform an illegal medical experiment. Now she's angry, and determined to find out who's behind it. Enter Peter Gregory: rich kid and the leader of ALLIANCE, a group of "hacktivists". He's angry too: after digging a little too deep into the activities of a shadowy corporation known as AMRF, his site is shut down, his parents threatened, and his own life put at risk. When Noa and Peter collide on their separate missions, they realize they have something big in common: an unknown corporation determined to shut them down, keep them apart, and kill them if necessary. Are they good enough to take on the shadows and find out what AMRF is hiding? They'd better be...or they'll be dead.

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language R; Nudity PG; Sexual Content PG; Violence PG-13; Substance Abuse PG; Magic & the Occult G; GLBT Content PG; Adult Themes (murder, organized crime, human testing) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: This is a high-octane look into the world of computers, hackers, and their power over what goes on in our lives. The language and violence land it squarely in the category of 8th-up, but give it to strong readers who like action and intrigue, and you'll have a hit on your hands.

The story: Adolf Eichmann was the evil mastermind behind the killing of more than five million Jews during World War II. At the end of the war, he slipped past the Allies and escaped to Argentina, where he lived on the lam for fifteen years. This is the story of the team of spies, forgers, diplomats and airline pilots who tracked him down, kidnapped him, and brought him back to Israel to stand trial.

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG; Nudity G; Sexual Content G; Violence PG-13; Substance Abuse PG; Magic & the Occult G; GLBT Content G; Adult Themes PG-13 (genocide, kidnapping); overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Hand this to that one kid who won't read fiction, and you'll be a hero! Bascomb's carefully researched book is more like a thriller than like the dreaded "historical fiction"--and anyone who reads it will come out not only with a healthy respect for what spooks can do when they're working for the good guys, but also for how much the world has changed in the 50+ years since this story took place.

SWAGGER, by Carl Deuker

The story: When Jonas moves to Seattle his senior year, he's afraid his chances for a basketball scholarship are going to fizzle. But his new team turns out to sizzle, not fizzle--and even a state championship could be within reach. But something creepy...something downright wrong...is going on with one of Jonas's new friends, and he's left with a gut-wrenching choice: out the bad guy and lose his chance for the scholarship, or just keep quiet, keep playing, and keep his chance to go to college?

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG-13; Nudity G; Sexual Content PG-13; Violence PG; Substance Abuse PG-13; Magic & the Occult G; GLBT Content G; Adult Themes R (sexual predation and suicide); overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: One thing I really like about Carl Deuker is that he never settles for the cheap-and-cheesy feel-good ending. In his books (as in real life) things don't always turn out the way you expect, and sometimes even decent people get screwed. If you run explosives for terrorists, someone or something around you is going to get blown up. If you take steroids, you may eventually kick the habit, but there's no denying that you're still always thinking about it, no matter how much it messed up your life. Here, Jonas wants to do what's right--but he finds out that sometimes life paints you into a corner and you end up losing no matter which way you choose. For me, the book's only downside was that I thought there was too much basketball. I know, I know: Deuker writes sports novels. I get it. I also grant that kids who are sports fanatics will like the descriptions. But I (admittedly not a big sports fan) just felt that a trip to every game in the season was a bit much--one would have been plenty. More just felt like it was getting in the way of the real story, which was what was going on off the court. Just saying.

THE EYE OF MINDS, by James Dashner

The story: In a future world, you get your thrills on the VirtNet--and the more money, and skills, that you have, the bigger the thrills. In fact, you could spend your whole life plugged into this virtual reality...pretty much what Michael does. But when a legendary gamer goes rogue and starts taking taking people hostage in the VirtNet, things start getting a little less comfortable--and when the government decides they need to use a hacker to catch one, they choose Michael. He thinks he's up for the challenge...but what he doesn't know will change his life forever. It may even change the way he defines the word "life".

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG-13; Nudity G; Sexual Content G; Violence PG-13; Substance Abuse PG; Magic & the Occult G; GLBT Content G; Adult Themes PG; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: Dashner does a great job of immersing the reader in a sci-fi world of gaming: the only problem being that it's arcane enough that some kids won't be able to get past the lingo and figure out what's going on. However, it's a well-written, well-plotted story and has an awesome twist at the end. Give this to fans of Brian Falker's "Brain Jack".

PRE-PUB REVIEW Tabula Rasa by Kristen Lippert-Martin

A fairly adequate teen sci-fi, dystopian novel, Tabula Rasa starts with the old—they’re erasing your  memory trope in the big scary hospital and no one, including you, knows why.  Been there, done that, and the plot has several contrived elements that will earn eye-rolling from the experienced reader.  For example, don’t you love it when the protagonist has some really weird talent that just happens to save her life at some point in the book?  That SO happens in real life.  I cannot tell you how many times my talent for blowing big bubbles with my gum has saved my life. That aside, dystopia is hot right now, and this one is serviceable if not inspired.  Plenty of explosions, a villain you will love to hate (Why are all villainous women portrayed as Southern belles?  No really, I want to know, it bothers me.), and a fledgling romance.  And of course, it wouldn’t be a “suspense” novel without the requisite “shocking” revelations at the end, which will shock no one who has been paying attention whilst reading or who has ever read a thriller before.  Not a bad first novel, and students who are looking for a quick dystopia fix will most likely enjoy it.  Another point in its favor, not a lot of bad language ( a rarity in YA titles). 

June’s Rating System:  Language—PG; Nudity—G;  Sexual Content—PG;  GLBT Content—G;  Violence—PG13, it is a dystopian novel and the good guys have to fight the bad guys.  Not graphic, but there is blood, etc.  Substance Abuse—G;  Adult Themes—some discussion of mental illness as relates to the story, also organized crime and general villainy.  

Robin’s Comments:  Like I said, not really intended for a sophisticated audience, but it will do the trick for the kid who needs something to read while waiting for the next blockbuster.  I would feel comfortable giving this to grades 7-10—older students are likely to see the flaws in the plot.

This title will be published on September 23, 2014.

THE CADET OF TILDOR, by Alex Liddell

The story: Cadet Renee de Winter knows she faces expulsion from the Academy if she can't improve her fighting skills. But the events swirling around her make that difficult: treason, attempted coup, and the arrival of the one man whose approval she values more than anyone else's. Is she willing to abandon longtime friends and even family in order to make the cut and succeed in a man's world of espionage and war?

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG-13; Nudity PG; Sexual Content PG; Violence R; Substance Abuse PG-13; Magic & the Occult PG-13; GLBT Content G; Adult Themes PG (war and brutality); overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: Plenty of bad language and violence in this one, but considering the context (a warrior academy where it's survival of the fittest) it would be more surprising not to have that kind of content. There are good messages about standing by your friends and trying to choose what's right amid a chaos of choices, plus plenty of action and mystery. Give this one to anyone who's a fan of Cinda Williams Chima's "Seven Realms" series. I liked it a lot!

WILL IN SCARLET, by Matthew Cody

The story: One moment, Will is the son of a nobleman and heir to the castle. The next, his uncle is murdered, his mother flees into hiding, and Will is nearly killed in an ambush. He survives to swear revenge on the man responsible for all these misfortunes: Sir Guy of Gisborne, traitor to the crown and his uncle's killer. Surprisingly, when Will finds himself hiding out with a band of outlaws, he finds there may be more honor among thieves than among the nobles of his own class. Take Rob the Drunk, for example...but you may know him better as Robin Hood...

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; nudity, PG; sexual content, G; violence PG-13; substance abuse PG; magic & the occult, G; GLBT content, G; adult themes, PG; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: two thumbs up for a fresh look at the Robin Hood story, told from the viewpoint of young Will Shackley, who during the course of the story becomes the Will Scarlet of legend. There's a lot going on in this book, with enough of the Robin Hood legend left at the end to make a sequel. Excellent! Give this one to any kid who likes The Ranger's Apprentice series.

FAR, FAR AWAY, by Tom McNeal

The story: For as long as he can remember, Jeremy has had a ghost keeping him company--not a scary ghost, but in fact the ghost of Jacob Grimm: collector of folk tales from long ago, and someone who can at least tell him a story if things get boring. Which they do in Jeremy's small town--at least, until a practical joke leads a killer to look for revenge, and someone starts channeling the witch in Hansel and Gretl. Watch out! If things seem too good to be true, they probably are.

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG; Nudity G; Sexual Content G; Violence PG; Substance Abuse G; Magic & the Occult PG-13; GLBT Content G; Adult Themes PG (kidnapping and murder of children); overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: What starts out as a deceptively simple story about a boy and his ghostly companion turns rather dark and gruesome as you learn how fairy tales used to end--not always with "happily ever after"--in fact, sometimes with rat poison and starvation. There is proof, however, that being well-grounded in literary classics can eventually pay off!