11-22-63 by Stephen King

     Jake Epping travels into the past to stop President Kennedy's assassination, but arrives five years too early.  While waiting for time to catch up, Jake changes people's lives and realizes the past harmonizes with the future.  When tragedy strikes, Jake must decide if one person's happiness is worth the happiness of millions of others whose lives hang in the balance of his decision.
     I had a love-hate relationship with this book.  There were parts where I could see why my brother said it might be his favorite Stephen King book, rivaling Lisey's Story.  Then there were the long sections of life in the sixties with oppression and all of the "isms" of the times.  It was suffocating to read and felt much too long at 864 pages.  However, the love story between Jake and Sadie is one of the most realistic love stories I have read.
     I liked the big ideas in the book.  What would you be willing to change if you know how life already turns out?  What are you willing to change if you don't already know the outcome?  What are you willing to sacrifice for the world? What is not worth sacrificing at any cost?    

Unwind

 Wow!  Another incredible book by Neal Shusterman!  A chilling look at the pro-life/pro-choice argument.  After fighting The Heartland War, a truce is finally reached.  Life is mandatory from the moment of conception until thirteen.  Once you reach thirteen, your parents can have you "unwound" and donate every part of you to someone else.  That way, you never truly die; you just live on through the donors.
     Unwind is the story of several teens who are scheduled to be unwound for very different reasons.  Together, they may have a chance to survive.
     This book was chilling, intense, and made me think.  What would happen to all the unwanted babies who become unwanted teens?  When do you have a soul - conception, birth, the moment you are loved?    Do our cells have memory?  How does it feel to live a life no one else feels is worth living?  Can we redeeem ourselves and make up for our past mistakes, or are some mistakes too big to erase?
     An awesome science fiction book with a great story and a warning about where we may be headed.

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25

       The bullies finally push Michael too far and he shocks them with electricity.  Unlike a taser, Michael's electricity comes from the inside.  The cute cheerleader, Taylor, sees what happens and begins to probe  Michael's secrets.  After discovering they both have super powers, they begin investigating their pasts.  They were born at the same time in a California hospital testing new MRI technology.  They are shocked to discover that of the fifty-nine babies born there with them, only seventeen survive.  Taylor and Michael are two of the lucky ones.  Unfortunately, Dr. Hatch has left the information on the Internet to lure in the missing teens.  Dr. Hatch kidnaps Taylor and Michael's mom, knowing Michael will try to rescue the women he loves.

     This book was a little slow to start, but once it got started, it was hard to put down.  The characters were interesting, especially the teens living in Dr. Hatch's laboratory.  The teens powers were all very different, including the way they used their powers for good or evil.  I liked the way the bullies in the story became the ones helping Michael on his mission.  The only thing I didn't like was the almost sadistic side of power being shown at the end of the book.  

     I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to adults and teens who enjoy science fiction/fantasy or action/adventure.  At 326 pages, it is a more difficult book for reluctant readers, but with a great book talk or movie trailer, many would be willing to give it a shot.  

  

Among the Betrayed

     Among the Betrayed by Margaret Peterson Haddix is the third book in the Shadow Children series.  I liked this book, but it wasn't my favorite in the series.  Luke (AKA Lee Grant) was only in the book at the end, and I didn't get attached to the other characters.  There were so many double crossings, I was totally confused by the end.  I don't recommend this book, unless you liked Among the Hidden.  

   

Among the Hidden

     My class just finished reading Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. 
     Luke is one of the Shadow Children; the 3rd child born in a family.  In this futuristic world, overpopulation has caused mass starvation and famines.  To alleviate these issues, the government has forbidden many things: pets, junk food, and more than two children per family. 
     Luke is forced to hide day after day in the attic looking out vents at the world he can't be a part of in any form.  Life changes for Luke when he discovers another third child hiding in the house behind his house.    
     After breaking into her house and a few minutes of danger, Luke and Jen become best friends.  Like the best friendships, the two are opposites.  Where Luke is fearful and timid, Jen is defiant and strong-willed. 
     Jen is planning a rally where thousands of shadow children will walk in front of the president's house to free the children. Luke must decide if he is willing to risk his life for his freedom. 

     Since this was our last book of the year, I let my students vote on the book they wanted to read.  The kids loved it!  They couldn't wait to read everyday.  They got very attached to the characters, so much so that one chapter brought many of the girls to tears.  It also led us to great discussions about food shortages, world population, and the One Child Policy in China.  

     It is a great book for reluctant readers, but they will need some scaffolding on the underlying issues in the book about Totalitarianism, government control, overpopulation and what people will do for their freedom. 

     I loved this book and plan to read the sequel because I need to know what happens to Luke.  I love this kid! 

Daniel X Demons and Druids

     I am a huge fan of Daniel X, but Demons and Druids Daniel X was a big disappointment.  James Patterson seemed to forget what we loved about Daniel X - the humor, the quirky characters, and the original storylines.
     Nick and I hardly laughed at all in this sequel and that was one of the things we loved best about Daniel in the earlier books. 
     Daniel wasn't his usual quirky self.  He was extremely boring.    
     The storyline had us travel back in time to battle an alien in King Arthur's time with Arthur and Merlin.  When the alien comes forward in time, Daniel defeats him with Stonehenge.  I bet you didn't see that coming, right? 
      The other stories were fun and original and made us fall in love with Daniel.  If you already love Daniel, don't read this book.  If you don't already love Daniel, there isn't really a point to read this book at all. 

I Am Number Four

    

     I am Number Four is written by Pittacus Lore - a pseudonym for James Frey and Jobie Hughes. 
     When Mogadorians attack the peaceful world of Lorien, the guardians take eight small children into a ship and leave for Earth.  The Mogadorians follow them to Earth to  kill the children.  Besides their guardians, the children only have one small protection - they can only be killed in order unless they are together in one location. 
     The first three children are dead when the book begins, and John is number four.  John is now 15 and beginning to develop special legacies that will make him harder to be killed. 
     In the meantime, he needs to stay in hiding from the Mogadorians.  John's guardian, Henri, warns John to fly under the radar, but John falls madly in love with Sarah.  Mark, her old boyfriend, bullies John, trying to break up John and Sarah.
     Stange things are happening that alert the Mogadorians to John's location.  Who will win the epic battle?  Will Sarah be able to handle John's past?  Will John's legacies develop in time to protect him from the Mogadorians' wrath?
     I am Number Four is a great book for reluctant readers.  The first half of the book was a bit slow for me, but my students loved the whole thing.  They enjoyed the love triangle between John, Sarah, and Mark.  They also enjoyed the bullying at the beginning that led to John's first legacy. 
     Once Henri leaves town to find news about the Mogadorians, the book had one thrill after another.  I did not want to put this book down. 
     My favorite character was John's dog Bernie Kosar because he was so original and endearing.  My favorite part of the book was finding out about Sam.  He is a shy teen who is obsessed with alien abductions.  He is certain his dad was abducted by aliens and misses him terribly.  Sam even wears his dad's Coke-bottle prescription glasses so he can see the world through his dad's eyes. 
     I really enjoyed this book and can hardly wait for the sequel.  It is a great book for teenagers who don't like to read, as well as teens and adults who do like to read.

Daniel X Watch the Skies

      Daniel X Watch the Skies by James Patterson and Ned Rust is the second book in the Daniel X series.  My son Nick and I read it together because we both loved Daniel X so much in the first book.
      This time Daniel X is fighting a new alien from The List, Number 5.  This alien is filming a reality tv show on Earth to entertain his home planet.  His minions are torturing humans by making them do silly stunts and then killing them for the tv show.  The aliens in the audience love the tv show, and Alien 5 is sure they will get incredible ratings back home.  The aliens are spreading the love by impregnating the women of the town who ate the free sardine samples they found in their mailboxes.  Daniel X has to figure out how to help the pregnant women in his town and stop Alien #5 before he becomes the headline act of the new reality show.   
      I liked this book almost as much as the first one, but Nick was disappointed in the new alien.  He felt that Alien Number 5 wasn't as developed as Seth was in the first book.  He also felt that Daniel wasn't as funny as he had been in the original novel.  Although he didn't like it as much as the original book, he still liked it a lot. 
     This book has short chapters which added to the excitement of the book.  You feel like you are rushing headlong into every experience Daniel experiences.  Daniel has a sarcastic sense of humor that had both of us giggling nearly every night we read.  It is a quick read and one that you don't want to stop reading.  I recommend this book for reluctant readers, especially boys.
    

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X

     There has been a lot of talk lately about how boys have different tastes in books than girls.  If you are looking for a great book for an eleven-year-old boy, you should definitely try The Dangerous Days of Daniel X.  It is one of the best books my son and I have read together in a long time.
     James Patterson is a well-known author for writing great action and suspense.  There is plenty of action and suspense in Daniel X, but it isn't too scary for kids.  Daniel is an alien who looks like a regular boy.  He is an alien hunter looking to rid the Earth of every alien on The List of Alien Outlaws. 
     This book has lots of laugh-out-loud humor for adults and kids.  My favorite part was when Seth, the villain alien, came out of his space ship with his coffee, newspaper, and bathrobe to fight Daniel.  You could tell Seth didn't think Daniel was much of a threat.  Daniel has a funny sense of humor and says little things as asides to the reader. 
     The chapters are very short; most of them were two - three pages in length.  They are just the right amount for a reluctant reader to enjoy and feel a sense of accomplishment. 
     Daniel also has a very cool superpower.  Unlike other heroes, Daniel has the power to create.  He overcomes all of the obstacles in the book by using his brain to create unique ways to escape.  We loved trying to predict what Daniel would do next.
     Nick and I both loved this book.  We finished it yesterday and went to the bookstore to buy the second one today.  Nick's comment was, "He (James Patterson) better start writing faster 'cause we are catching up with him."   We hope you like it as much as we did.