The Secret of Zoom

Written by Lynne Jonell
Most enjoyed by 5th through 8th graders

Christina Adnoid has been sheltered by her father since her mother's death in the Loompski Laboratories when Christina was four. The labs, owned by Leo Loompski, were created so the scientist could discover uses for zoom, a substance found in the rocks of the Starkian Mountain Range. But Leo has disappeared and the labs are now run by his nephew Lenny whose main goal is to win the Karnicky Medal no matter what the cost. Christina has only faint memories of her mother who had been helping Leo and was on the verge of a great discovery when she was blown to bits in a huge explosion. Now, even years later, Dr. Adnoid is overly cautious about keeping his daughter safe. Not allowed to go to school or play with other children, Christina spends hours watching them from a distance while trying to avoid difficult math lessons on her computer.

One day, during her daily hour of fresh air in the yard, Christina spots a young boy hauling garbage. He talks to her long enough to tell her that he's named Taft and is one of the orphans living in the Loompski Orphanage she can see from her bedroom window. Christina is intrigued by Taft and his story of a tunnel hidden in her house, a house that was built by Leo Loompski himself. When Christina discovers the tunnel, she's elated to find that it leads to the outside, directly in front of the orphanage. She watches in amazement as one by one the orphans are forced to sing. Those who sing on key are chosen to ride in the back of the garbage truck, never to be seen again. Christina spots Taft in the crowd, watches as he narrowly escapes the truck, then helps him back to her house. That's when she discovers that there is something mysterious going on with the orphans that involves the zoom and, could it be, perhaps, her mother?

School Library Journal listed 'The Secret of Zoom' as one of 2009's Best Books and they are right. I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to get it into the hands of readers looking for a great adventure story. My description of the book doesn't do it justice because there is so much more to it but I don't want to give too much away. Just let me say that 'The Secret of Zoom' is a page-turner. Christina is a great heroine who has to summon up courage she didn't know she had to help Taft and the orphans. Taft is a big-hearted boy who longs for a chance to go to school to learn the math Christina hates. The mystery of what zoom is and how it works propels the story forward, as does the discovery Christina makes about her mother. But I will stop here and ask that you take my word for it and check out 'The Secret of Zoom'. You'll find this a book you'll enjoy right from the first page.

Dragonbreath

Written and illustrated by Ursula Vernon

Most enjoyed by 2nd through 4th graders

Babymouse, let me introduce you to Danny Dragonbreath. He's a little dragon who will be sharing some of your readership soon. Don't worry, kids will still love you and want to read you over and over. But I predict Danny will be finding a few new friends among our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade boys.

Danny Dragonbreath has been assigned to write a paper about the ocean. Waiting until the last minute, he throws together something that his teacher doesn't like. When he has to go back to the drawing board and write a real report, he finally does some research. He calls on his cousin, Edward the sea serpent, to take him and his friend Wendell on a fantastic ocean journey. Thanks to special breath mints, Danny and Wendell are able to breath under water for a few hours, long enough to get the information Danny needs to rewrite his paper. Much to his surprise, Danny finds that research is pretty fun, not to mention a little life-threatening once in a while.

On land, Danny has another problem in addition to his paper. The problem is in the form of Big Eddy, a Komodo dragon who likes to bully Danny. Danny's ocean journey gives him ideas not only for his paper but for dealing with Big Eddy perhaps once and for all.

Despite the fact that Danny is not a full-fledged fire breathing dragon, at least not yet, his book will have readers hooked right from the start. There's plenty of action, humor, and likeable characters to keep readers turning the pages. It also encourages kids to stand up to bullies. Despite his fear of Big Eddy, Danny learns there are ways to turn the tables on bullies and he does, with a little help from Wendell. This won't be the last we see of Danny Dragonbreath which makes me happy. His next adventure is called 'Attack of the Ninja Frogs' and I can't wait to read that one!

For Warrior Fans - Look Who's Coming to Naperville!

Hey, Zion Warriors fans! I know there are a couple of you out there, so take note! Author Erin Hunter will be visiting Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville on Thursday, April 23rd at 7:00 PM. Check out the Anderson's website for more details.

Despite the fact that Naperville is quite a distance from Marengo, the drive is doable and well worth it when visiting a favorite author! This is a great opportunity to ask Ms. Hunter questions and perhaps get a book autographed. Don't miss it!

Ranger's Apprentice: The Sorcerer of the North

Book 5 in the series

Written by John Flanagan

Most enjoyed by 5th through 8th Graders

I haven't read this one yet, but it's the latest in the Ranger's Apprentice series which is so popular here at Zion. If you're a fan, be sure to stop up and check this one out.

The Hunger Games

Written by Suzanne Collins

Most enjoyed by readers in 6th through 8th grade

Katniss Everdeen has been struggling to survive ever since her father was blown to pieces in a mine explosion. Food is scarce in District 12, but Katniss has been able to support her mother and younger sister Prim by hunting illegally and by putting her name in the bowl for the Hunger Games more than once. When Reaping Day arrives, Katniss will wait with other district residents to see whose names are drawn from the bowl. One boy and one girl from District 12 will join boys and girls from the other 11 districts in Panem to compete in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death for all but one winner. This year, Prim's name has been entered in the bowl once, but Katniss knows her name is entered at least 16 times, representing the times she has had to bargain her name away in return for bread and oil to live on. As Reaping Day arrives, Katniss watches in horror as Prim's name is drawn from the bowl. She volunteers to take her sister's place, knowing that she will save her sister's life by perhaps forfeiting hers. Peeta Mellark, the baker's son, is the boy chosen to represent District 12. Peeta once did Katniss a favor, leaving her in his debt, the memory of which lives on strongly in Katniss's mind. Together, Katniss and Peeta travel to the Capitol to begin the contest of their lives, as they fight for their survival in the Hunger Games. Only one of them can return the victor. Which will it be?

'The Hunger Games' is a book readers will have a hard time putting down (and I speak from experience!). I think it's one of the best books published in 2008 and a real contender for either the Newbery or Printz award. Katniss and Peeta are unforgettable characters participating in a terrible sport created to control people in the country of Panem. Issues of friendship, trust, loyalty, freedom, and governmental control make this book one perfect for discussion. The first in a trilogy, 'The Hunger Games' will leave you craving the next book in the series. Grab this one when you're looking for a book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Found:The Missing: Book 1

Written by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Most enjoyed by 5th through 8th Graders

Jonah is adopted. He knows it and is comfortable with it. His worries are about trying out for the basketball team and keeping his new neighbor Chip from developing much of a crush on Jonah's younger sister, Katherine. When Jonah receives a letter with the message 'You are one of the missing' quickly followed by another reading 'Beware, they are coming back to get you', he begins to wonder about his birth parents and the details surrounding his adoption. When Chip receives the same letters, the three decide to find the source of the letters. A visit with an FBI agent gives Jonah, Katherine, and Chip clues that point them to a disappearing plane, people who can appear and vanish at will, and a smuggling operation that involved 36 babies 13 years ago, two of which were Jonah and Chip. Who is after them and how far will they go to get Jonah and Chip within their grasp?

If you like mystery and suspense stories, 'Found' is the book for you. I started this one evening and thought I'd read a few pages then go to bed. Wrong! I couldn't put the book down. There's tons of action, believable characters, cliff-hanger chapter endings, and a plot that will make you scratch your head wondering 'Could that really happen?' Don't pass this book up! One warning though - 'Found' is the first in a new series and I can guarantee you will want to pick up the next book as soon as you finish. However, the second book, 'Sent', doesn't come out until August 2009 so you'll have to wait a while to find out what happens to Jonah, Katherine, and Chip. But if the next book is anything like the first one, it will be worth the wait!

Imagine a Place

By Sarah L. Thomson

Illustrated by Rob Gonsalves

Most enjoyed by readers of all ages

This book is hard to describe and yet it has incredible appeal for anyone looking for something thought provoking. 'Imagine a Place' invites readers to imagine places they have been or someday might be. It asks us to let our imaginations soar, from the night sky to the ocean to mountain tops. To help us, illustrator Rob Gonsalves has created illustrations that meld two images into one. Take a look at the cover image above. Your eye sees houses that appear to be floating in boats, a seemingly ridiculous idea. But as your eye follows the houses to the lower right corner, you discover they are anchored to the ground, surrounded by wooden fences, the same wooden fences that become the boats the houses float in. The image gives us the idea that our thoughts and dreams can soar while the accompanying text asks us to image our ships full of what we know but pointed to a horizon of promise.

You'll find more fantastic images like this one inside the pages of 'Imagine a Place'. It's the type of book you can come back to over and over, seeing or imagining something new each time.

100 Cupboards
By N.D. Wilson
Most enjoyed by 5th graders through 8th graders

Henry, Kansas is a dry, dusty town that time seems to have forgotten. It is to be Henry's summer home when his travel-writing parents are kidnapped on a trip to Columbia. Aunt Dot, Uncle Frank, and their three girls welcome Henry to their farm, a place where Henry can roam free and learn to play baseball, something his over-protective parents won't let him do at home.

Life on the farm is quiet until Henry wakes one morning to find plaster on his forehead and two knobs sticking out of the wall above his bed. Watching the knobs turn, Henry can hear something thump behind the wall. Intrigued, Henry begins to chap away at the plaster, uncovering a small cupboard door. The knobs seem to be dials of some sort. Henry chips away more plaster, revealing a second cupboard door; behind it is not a view of the barn at the back of the house as Henry expects, but the inside of a small, yellow post office. Henry's cousin Henrietta is convinced there is another world behind the door. Together, she and Henry remove all of the plaster, uncovering 99 cupboard doors in all. What could possibly be behind them all? And why only 99? It's such an odd number that Henrietta is sure there must be another cupboard door somewhere in the house, but where? Could it be behind Grandpa's bedroom door, a door that hasn't been opened in two years since Grandpa's death? Would the old man Henry saw leaving the bathroom in the middle of the night know something? The old man who entered Grandpa's bedroom and hasn't been seen since? And what's behind the small, black cupboard door, the one that grabbed hold of Henrietta's arm and wouldn't let it go?

The action in 100 Cupboards unfolds very slowly and deliberately until about the middle of the book, when the pace picks up and you can't put it down. Henry is a nice kid, one you feel a little sorry for because he's been so sheltered and protected by his parents. But he comes out of his shell when he faces the challenge presented by the cupboards. If you're a lover of mystery or fantasy stories, add 100 Cupboards to your reading list. But be warned - the book has a great ending, one a bit creepy for bedtime reading, but it doesn't wrap up all of the loose ends neatly. 100 Cupboards is the first in a new series and after reading this one, I hope the next book is out in time for next summer's reading! You can find 100 Cupboards at the Crystal Lake and Algonquin public libraries.

The True Meaning of Smekday

Written and illustrated by Adam Rex

Most enjoyed by 5th through 8th graders

What would you do if your mother got taken up in an alien space ship? What would you do if the very next day, Christmas day to be exact, those same aliens take over earth and rename Christmas 'Smekday' in honor of their captain? If you're Gratuity Tucci, you write an essay about it. It's been one year now since the Boov took over the earth. 8th grader Gratuity Tucci, or Tip, is supposed to write an essay called 'What Smekday Means to Me' for the National Time Capsule. The winning essay will be put in the capsule and not read for 100 years. As Tip writes her essay, she recalls the nightmare her life became when the Boov invaded.

Tip knew something was funny when she saw the mole on her mom's back. It seemed all brown and puffy, like a bubble on a pizza, but when Mom said the aliens put it there, Tip knew something wasn't right. Mom begins to speak words out loud at random. The worst occurs on Christmas Eve, when Mom leaves the apartment without explanation and heads to the park. There she is taken up in an alien space ship while Tip watches helplessly. The next day, the Boov come and invade the earth.

When the Boov annonce that all humans must move to Florida, Tip decides to make her escape. Loading what little she can in the car, she tries to drive to Florida, realizing that driving is a bit harder than she thought. The roads are blocked by the Boov but Tip manages to get to a small town when the car breaks down. Hoping to find some food in a grocery store, Tip enters to find a small Boov named JLo hiding inside. JLo offers to fix the car if Tip will let him accompany her to Florida. Hesitant to let him but desperate to find her mother, Tip reluctantly lets JLo come along, a choice she regrets when she arrives at Happy Mouse Kingdom in Florida. Hoping her mother is waiting for her, Tip discovers that JLo has a few secrets of his own, and that if they don't work together, they're sure to be caught by the Boov and any other aliens that might happen to show up.

'The True Meaning of Smekday' is a wicked crazy book. The story is much more involved and funny than I've described here. Author Adam Rex has included illustrations throughout the book. The best is a comic that JLo draws for Tip to explain how the Boov world was created. See any similarities to our world?

JLo is one of the best alien characters ever written, one you wouldn't mind meeting yourself. This is how he introduces himself to Tip when he offers to fix her car: "I am Chief Maintenance Officer Boov. I can to fix everything. I can surely fix primitive humanscar." JLo is small, blue, eats cough syrup and dental floss, and mangles the Enlish language in the most charming way. You'll find yourself reading his dialogue out loud just to see if he 'sounds' as funny as he 'reads' (he does - I tried it!).

'The True Meaning of Smekday' is a wonderfully original read. After finishing it, I can't help but wonder if it's the last we'll hear of JLo?