GUTLESS, by Carl Deuker

The story: Freshman Brock Ripley wants to play football. He's fast and can catch--perfect as a receiver. Junior Hunter Gates is the team's quarterback and can influence whether or not Brock gets any playing time. But Hunter's mean, and a lot of that meanness focuses on Richie Fang, the new Chinese kid at school who's good at just about everything. As the bullying intensifies and circumstances come crashing down around them, the consequences are horrifying. And there's nothing Brock can do to help.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; Sexual content G-13; Nudity PG-13 (there is an off-page groping incident involving a mentally-handicapped girl, and thus quite a bit of discussion of breasts); Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content PG; adult themes (massive bullying; parent with terminal illness; general adult cluelessness) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: Carl Deuker never shies away from tackling hard topics, and this book is no different. The unforeseen consequences of bullying are heartbreaking here, and although there is a glimmer of hope at the end, the bullies are never punished and go on to graduate with good outcomes. This realistic ending, along with the groping incident, probably make this one better for high school readers. Interestingly, athletes at our school keep Carl Deuker's books checked out all the time--so maybe those who can best learn from a tutorial about bullying will actually be reading about it this time.

SALT TO THE SEA, by Ruta Sepetys

The story: Three young refugees and a sailor converge on the city of Gothafen at the end of World War 2. All have secrets; all of them want to evade the oncoming Russian troops, rumored to be raping and robbing as they go. They're ragged, starving, and they've seen terrible things. Yet as the teens scramble aboard the German luxury liner Wilhelm Gustloff to be transported to safety, they have no idea that the worst is yet to come.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG-13; Nudity PG; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (war crimes and atrocities; rape; other criminal activities) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: This was a fascinating account of the highest-casualty ship sinking of World War 2 (and probably in all of history): five times more people died in the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff than died on the Titanic. But no one's ever heard of it, because the Russians kept it quiet due to the massive civilian loss of life. A patient reader will find a lot to like here, but it's pretty dense going and probably better for high school readers.

ORBITING JUPITER, by Gary D. Schmidt

The story: Jack's new foster brother, Joseph, has had terrible things happen in his life. Even though Joseph is just 14, he's been abused, done time in juvie, and fathered a child. Now spending a frigid winter with the Hurd family on their farm, he little-by-little reveals his story to them and dreams about both meeting his daughter and moving on with his life. When tragedy overtakes him, it's important for Jack to know that he has Joseph's back--no matter what.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (there are many, but none of them graphic, including child abuse, abuse in an institution, teen sex and pregnancy) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: I have to preface this by saying that I'm actually a fan of Gary D. Schmidt. He's a great literary writer for an age-group that sees little of that art form. However, he usually has a bit of humor to lighten up whatever tragedy he's dishing out. In this book, not so much. In fact, even though this story was well-received critically (Booklist starred), I found it depressing and I'm not sure I'll be trying to sell it to kids. Schmidt's always been an author that adults like better than kids do, and this book is no exception. (Sorry! But I'm looking at the book from the point of view of the average MS reader, and I'm pretty sure their response would be, "Um...no thanks?")

HOODOO, by Ronald L. Smith

The story: Hoodoo's family practices folk magic, and what with his heart-shaped birthmark, he's a shoo-in to have magical powers too. Except he doesn't--until a scary demon comes to town, a family secret is uncovered, and Hoodoo realizes he's going to have to defeat The Stranger, powers or not. Can Hoodoo finish what his daddy started so long ago?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (demonic powers, voodoo, bullying, implications of racism) PG-13; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Here's a scary story with an unusual setting--the Jim Crow South of the 1930s. Hoodoo is a likable hero with a big problem, and there are no easy outs for him. Give this to kids who like scary stuff in an unusual setting.

THE CIPHER, by John C. Ford

The story: Smiles has lived his whole life in the shadow of his father, tech giant Robert Smylie. Wanting to do something amazing on his own, he figures our a plan to help his neighbor Ben sell a top-secret mathematical formula to the government (and keep a cut for himself, of course). Everything goes along just fine--right up until Ben gets kidnapped; Smiles loses one girlfriend and finds another, and even discovers the truth about his mother's disappearance when he was a baby. All in just one weekend! With his entire inheritance at stake, it doesn't seem that the stakes could get any higher until the truth comes out...and all of a sudden, it does. All of a sudden, it's life or death. And not just HIS life, or his death.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Senxual content Pg-13; Nudity PG; Substance abuse PG-13; Magic & the occult G: GLBT content G; adult themes (corporate espionage, parental abandonment, tricky mathematical concepts) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: I liked this one a lot, though it probably is better for HS than for the 8th-up audience of the reviews. It read more like an adult book with a teen-aged hero than a YA book with an older protagonist. Smiles is an unexpectedly likable rich kid whose slacker ways help him deal with the reality of being a disappointment to his father, now dying of cancer, and with the reality that his birth mother left him behind 16 years ago and has refused contact with him ever since. Ex-girlfriend and still best friend Melanie is another smart/rich character who has to deal with difficult revelations about her father and his part in the conspiracy that fuels the story. Readers will come out with the understanding that even spoiled rich kids have things in their lives that are difficult to deal with, and with the idea that everyone has to make their own way in the world, despite the gift/curse of wealthy parents. Take that where you will!

DEAD INVESTIGATION, by Charlie Price

The story: Murray can't help it that he happens to live in the cemetery's lawnmower shed. He also can't help it that he can hear dead people speak--but he doesn't want to get caught up in the voices he's been hearing just outside the graveyard's fence. It's only when those voices get so loud that they make it dangerous for Pearl and her father that Murray finally gives in and helps the police try to locate a bunch of homeless people who've gone missing. What he doesn't realize is that this is just the tip of a regular Iceberg of Murder.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG (lots of murder, but never graphically described); Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Magic & the occult PG-13; substance abuse PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (murder, kidnapping, paranormal activity) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: This is a tense murder mystery and crime procedural. It stands alone, although if you can find the 2006 first in the series, Dead Connection, you might like it even more when you know the backstory. Although BL and SLJ rated it for 7-up, it seemed to me to be better for older readers, partly because the adult cop Gates's sections are a little more grown-up in voice. Still, hand it to kids who like stories about forensics and crime solving--just make sure they know there's a ghost or two involved as well!

WATCH THE SKY, by Kirsten Hubbard

The story: Jory's family keeps to themselves. His stepfather, Caleb, is sure that something big--and terrible--is coming: he says "the signs are everywhere." Jory isn't quite sure what the signs mean, but he knows Caleb just wants to keep the family safe...so when Caleb has the family start digging a bunker in the canyon behind their farm, Jory helps out even though his grades tank and his friends are starting to get curious. Somehow, Jory has to decide how to deal with the signs (and his stepdad's obsession with them) and figure out his own way to keep the family together.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes PG (paranoid behavior by a parent); overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: This is a surprisingly suspenseful read about the pressure Jory feels to follow family expectations at the same time he's opening up to a larger world of friends and society. Any kid whose family is into Preparation will relate, and kids whose families aren't may find themselves surprised.

P.S. I LIKE YOU, by Kasie West

The story: Lily and Cade have been enemies since middle school. He never misses a chance to diss her to his group; she thinks he's conceited and rude, and she goes out of her way to avoid him. Luckily he's not in her chemistry class, but that's the only luck there: it's downright deadly otherwise. To pass the time, Lily scribbles graffiti on the desk and to her surprise, someone in another class answers back. Soon they're passing notes and an anonymous friendship develops. Who could it be? The shaggy hipster Lucas? Or maybe the guy her best friend is trying to set her up with? But as time passes and Lily figures out who it is, she knows she has only one choice: run!

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence G; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (prejudice) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: This was a cute story, as long as you're not expecting anything with any real social commentary. Lily did have to examine her behavior and admit it was less than stellar--as well as admitting her nemesis might be in the same boat. Although a little slow at the start, girls looking for a feel-good romance novel will cheer for this one. Perfect for MS readers.

SHUTTER, by Courtney Alameda

The story: Micheline and her team are the descendants of storied undead-hunters of old: Stoker, Van Helsing, Harker. They're the best team at Helsing, a corporation that specializes in containing San Francisco's supernatural creatures. But when the teens end up in a shattered hospital, unable to contain the evil presence set loose there, they're infected with a soulchain--a substance that will bind them to the creature bent on revenge for past slights, kill them within the week, and bring their spirits under control of this evil spirit. Can they solve the mystery and avoid the dreadful fate that's already consumed Micheline's mother?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language R; violence R; sexual content PG-13; Nudity PG; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (death of a parent by violence; extremely scary situations) PG-13; overall rating (borderline) R.

Liz's comments: I'm giving it the "borderline" R rating--meaning it would be better for HS readers--because I think 8th-grade kids who like horror would be fine with the story, while kids who don't like spooky stuff would find it horrifying no matter what age they are. I am not a horror fan myself, but I did like this one and found it hard to put down. The author neatly ties in lots of references to Dracula, which could possibly lead readers in a more literary direction once they finish this!

THE GOBLIN'S PUZZLE, by Andrew S. Chilton

The story (lifted straight from the back cover): THE BOY is a nameless slave on a mission to uncover his true identity. THE GOBLIN holds all the answers, but he's too tricky to be trusted. PLAIN ALICE is a bookish peasant girl carried off by a confused dragon. And PRINCESS ALICE is the lucky girl who wasn't kidnapped. All four are tangled in in a sinister plot to take over the kingdom, and together they must face kind monsters, a cruel magician, and dozens of deathly-boring palace bureaucrats. They're a ragtag bunch--but with strength, courage, and plenty of deductive reasoning, they just might outwit the villains and crack the goblin's puzzle.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (Conspiracy, slavery) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: I thought this one was charming! There's plenty of action, strong characters both boy and girl, and some laugh-out-loud moments courtesy of the cheeky narrator. It would make a good read-aloud for upper elementary audiences.

THE IMPROBABLE THEORY OF ZAK & ANA, by Brian Katcher

The story: When Zak plagiarizes a paper for health class (!) his teacher blackmails him into becoming the alternate for the quiz bowl team's competition. Too late does he remember that his beloved WashingCon is being held the same weekend--now he's doomed to answer trivia questions instead. When teammate Clayton (freshman and team-captain Ana's little brother) hears Zak's stories about the con, he sneaks out of the hotel to check it out himself--so it's Zak and Ana to the rescue. She's uptight and controlling; he's a slacker and gamer--seems they'd never have anything in common. Clayton proves nearly impossible find at the "con", but they find just about everyone else: Vikings on the rampage, Vampires looking for blood, a Middle Ages battle re-enactment, and a drug deal going bad. Before they know it, Zak's looking down the barrel of a gun and it's up to Ana to rescue him. You always knew those Trekkies were crazy!

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; Nudity PG-13 (an accidental dropping of the towel reveals all!); Substance abuse PG-13; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content PG (a gay wedding and "mixed" marriage between a set of Star Trek/Star Wars fans); adult themes (controlling parents; self pressure to perform; drugs deals) PG-13; overall ratings PG-13.

Liz's comments: Call me a geek, but I thought this one was great! Zak is the funny, nerdy guy everyone wishes they knew; Ana learns to loosen up and begin standing up for herself; everyone takes a step forward of some kind in one of their relationships--all thanks to a sci-fi/gaming/fantasy convention. Gotta love it! (Full disculosure: I got enough of the gamer/sci-fi references to realize that my life has been materially influenced by "those kinds" of people. Use that knowledge to judge accordingly!)

COURT OF FIVES, by Kate Elliott

The story: Jessamy lives in a world between: not a Commoner, not a Patron--kept apart from both by society's disapproval. She lives to compete, but even then, she can only take part in the complex Court of Fives games if she hides her identity: her father would kill her if he knew. But her skill brings her to the notice of both handsome Lord Kalliarkos and his evil-doing uncle Lord Gargaron, and sets in motion of chain of events that separates her parents and nearly destroys her family. The only way she can save them now is by winning the next games...but if she does, Kal may never look at her the same way again.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; Nudity PG; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG; GLBT content PG; adult themes PG; overall rating PG-13 (mostly for more difficult prose; definitely for 8th grade and up).

Liz's comments: Here's a brave heroine who will remind many readers of Katniss Everdeen. Elliott's strong world-building is a real asset here, as is Jes's grit and determination (and a handsome, out-of-reach love interest always sweetens things up as well!). Not for wimpy readers, but a solid start to a great new fantasy series.

THE PERFECT PLACE, by Teresa E. Harris

The story: Treasure's dad has taken off again, and this time her mom's going to go looking for him. Treasure and her younger sister are dumped off at ancient Great-Aunt Grace's without any say in the matter. What are they going to do in this backwoods Virginia town that still manages to have its share of bullies, thieves, and bossy old aunts? And more important...will their parents really come back for them, or are they going to be stuck with "Gag" forever?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (abandonment by parents, bullying) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: I liked this story a lot, although Treasure's sassy mouth and Tiffany's bratty tantrums frequently made me identify more with Aunt Grace than with the main characters. Aunt Grace is somewhat reminiscent of Richard Peck's Grandma Dowdel, and she manages to make sure things turn out right for the kids without managing to clean her house to do it.

EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME, by Andrea Seigel and Brent Bradshaw

The story: Magnolia and Ford meet as contestants on a TV reality show, where everything's totally fake except the attraction they feel for each other. Both of them are trying to re-invent themselves and move past where they've come from...but how can you do that when everyone in the country is watching your every move?

June Cleavers ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG; Sexual content PG-13; Nudity PG-13 (shirts-off making-out scene but no on-page sex); Substance abuse PG-13; Magic and the occult G; GLBT content PG; adult themes (overbearing parent; family criminal behavior) PG; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: This was a fun, lightweight read that managed to explore the characters' need to change their lives while still staying true to themselves (something you may not not expect from just any romance novel you pick up!) Told in clear alternating voices, this will appeal to both MS and HS readers looking for a hero and a heroine to root for.

AIRSHIPS OF CAMELOT, by Robison Wells.

The story: It's the Wild West like you've never seen it: Arthur, Camelot, and airships! When the deadly Spanish Flu decimates the world's population after World War 1, those left in America break up into smaller nations ruler by the admirals of airships. Problem is, the Texans own the most precious resource of all--helium to fly their airships--and they demand a heavier and heavier price for it each year while extending their conniving reach to exploit everyone else's resources. Soon the other admiralties are forced to scavenge and steal to supply their need for helium. Arthur, the son of Admiral Uther, is on a scavenging mission when he's stranded and left to die. When he and a slave named Jennifer stage a daring escape from the Crystal City, their lives are on the line to get back to Camelot before one of them dies from "The Spain". But when they get back--they find there are other ways to get killed than simply by disease.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; Nudity PG; Substance abuse PG; Magic and the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (epidemics; class warfare & prejudice) PG; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: Hey, Rob Wells! What's up with publishing this one one in ebook format only? If my son (the copy editor) hadn't given me an Amazon gift card and the title for Christmas, I'd have missed it altogether. This is a cool mashup of wild west and Arthurian themes, even down to Pellinore and the Questing Beast--and none of which you actually need to know to enjoy the book. Probably ebook because it's aimed at a really niche market, but I'd happily put it next to Wells' other book on my MS library shelf if I could just GET it.

THE BLACK DRAGON, by Julian Sedgwick

The story: When Danny's aunt is abducted in Hong Kong, it's up to Danny to find her. Little does he realize that hunting for a kidnapper will open up dark secrets in his own past, including the deaths of his circus-performer parents in a fire a year ago. Danny must use his own "magic" skills and his ability to think a problem through in order to figure out what's going on and who he can trust--and he'd better do it fast before the Black Dragon hunts him down and consumes him, too.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG-13; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic and the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (being orphaned; kidnapping; organized crime) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: This is a fast-moving thriller with an unusual setting and more than a little information about magicians and escape artists. Danny learns to trust his own instincts, but also that he'll need to trust those around him. Because the mystery of what his father was up to (working with Interpol and Inspector Ricard as a sort of expert specialist, but still unknown as to what or why) remains unexplained, there's clearly a set-up for at least book 2.

THE EXECUTIONER'S DAUGHTER, by Jane Hardstaff

The story: Moss feels like she's one of the prisoners at the Tower of London. She's never been outside its walls, but life inside is gruesome enough: her father executes famous prisoners like Sir Thomas More and Henry VIII's wife Anne Boleyn, while Moss catches their bloody heads in a basket below. She hates the life and plans to escape, but little does she know that her father is trying to keep her safe from a ghost's curse outside the walls...a curse that will unfold on her twelfth birthday. When Moss runs away, she finds a first friend and a lifetime's worth of adventure--but she also finds that when a ghost comes looking for you, there's no place you can hide.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG (implied drownings, but not graphic); Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic and the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (death of a parent, turbulent parent-child relationships, creepy happenings) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: This was an interesting juxtaposition of historical adventure and ghost story. I liked it a lot, but feel that the heroine's age (not quite 12) and its historical setting will be a turn-off for most MS readers. Most-appropriate age level rating is probably grades 4-6.

MAROONED IN THE ARCTIC, by Peggy Caravantes

The story: This is the true story of Ada Blackjack, who needed money to provide medical treatment for her young son. When she signed up to serve as a seamstress for four young Arctic explorers headed to Wrangel Island off the coast of Siberia, little did she know that death was waiting in the darkness of the northern seas, and that she would need all her ingenuity just to stay alive.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (scary situations) PG; overall rating PG (mostly due to the non-fiction subject matter).

Liz's comments: Similar to other books detailing the exploits of other Arctic/Antarctic explorers, but without the gripping drama of Sir Ernest Shackleton's or Robert Scott's expeditions (this group of guys died because they were dumb).

BLUESCREEN, by Dan Wells

The story: In 2050 Los Angeles, people are literally hard-wired to the internet: a brain implant called a djinni keeps people connected 24/7. Marisa and her friends are the daredevil Cherry Dogs, ditching school to dominate the VR game of Overworld, when the whole course of their lives is changed by Bluescreen--a virtual drug that gets into a person's djinni and gives them a buzz...right before taking over their brain and body and turning them into a helpless puppet, forced to do the bidding of whoever is behind it, before eventually killing themselves. Marissa and the other Cherry Dogs go on a desperate quest to save their friend Anja before she turns into just another casualty. But in a world where someone can hack into your every move, and every thought, the only way to stay safe is to stay one step ahead of them. Because in Mari's world if the bad guys kill you in the world of VR, you still end up dead.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence R; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse R; Magic and the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (mind control, gang warfare) PG-13; overall rating R.

Liz's comments: This was an engrossing sci-fi read, but just a little too technical for the average MS reader. Hand it to 8th-grade GT kids or HS kids and be prepared for them to want book 2!

A SCHOOL FOR BRIDES, by Patrice Kindl

The story: It's supposed to be a school for young ladies, but in reality--they're all just looking for husbands. (Because after all, everyone knows that's what any single young lady of respectable means needs.) But when you add in a nefarious governess, a sly suitor looking for a con, a shyster lawyer, and a young lady with a unsuitable interest in science--it would appear the course of true love may not run as smoothly as it ought!

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance Abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; Adult themes PG; overall rating PG (as much for the Jane Austen-esque language as for anything else--not for little kids!)

Liz's comments: Any girl who's a fan of Jane Austen will like this story--and the author's companion novel "Keeping the Castle" as well. There's humor and romance and adventure enough for anyone! Although really--don't hand it to a boy. (Unless his name is Fitzwilliam Darcy.)

FISH IN A TREE, by Linda Mullaly Hunt

The story: To Ally, reading has always felt like as heavy a chore as dragging a cement block by a chain around her neck. She's felt that because it was so easy for others, it must prove she's dumb. She isolates herself, drawing in her notebook of Impossible Things, until a new teacher figures out her problem (dyslexia). Will Ally be able to figure out how to make those letters stop jumping around, how to make the mean kids stop being SO mean, and how to make friends for the very first time?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes G; overall rating G.

Liz's comments: I liked this story, although it always seems amazing that any kid nowadays (even on e who moves around constantly) could have the bad luck to have gone all the way through grade school and not been identified as having a learning disability.