The Gryphon Project by Carrie Mac

Phee, short for Phoenix, is the middle child in an ordinary family.  Ordinary for the dystopian world created by Carrie Mac in The Gryphon Project.  Phoenix is from an elite family, child of a doctor and pastor in a three-life settlement.  Each person in her district is entitled to three recons, that is three restorations to life when the person has died.  Other people in the world are only entitled to two, one or even no recons in a life time.  Many of the other benefits for healthy and prosperous lives are denied the other classes.  Phoenix is unusual for a fifteen year old in her district where people are generally well off and responsible, she has already used two of her three recons.  In addition to the loss of this security, she also has had two difficult recons in which she lost her memories of the times prior to her ‘deaths’.  However in many ways, the Gryphon Project is not about Phee, it is about her brother, Gryphon.  Gryphon is the all-american everything wonder boy but something is not right in Gryphon’s life and Phee is determined to figure it out.  Part adventure, part mystery, part science fiction, part fantasy, The Gryphon Project is an engaging read, I’m not a hard-sell for fantasy, I do love it all and I very much enjoyed this.  The plot development gets a bit repetitive at times.  Phee needs help and goes to her brothers friends, they don’t help but she finds another clue, repeat. Not a “have-to” have in a K-8 or 9-12 library but entertaining nonetheless.  A worthy addition to your fiction section if you need more fantasy or sci-fi, particularly in 9-12.

Rating  #1 (Highly Recommended) #2✓ #3 #4 (Not acceptable)

Interest Level: grades 7+  Reading Level:  7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, politics, social structure

Themes/Topics: elites, societal construction, life and death, power

This book would be suitable for ✓ Lit Circles ✓ Kit Materials

Glowingly reviewed in CM Review, also well-received in Quill and Quire Review.

House of Many Ways

Author:  Diana Wynne Jones Copyright Date:  2008

“A chaotically magical sequel to How’s Moving Castle” quoth the cover of this book.  It is exactly as it says magical and chaotic.  It vaguely reminds me of Piers Anthony in its apparent randomness.  Things come together in the end for the great climax of the novel but it is hard to follow at times or maybe I’m just tired.  This book demands a skilled reader with a love for fantasy. A bit complicated for a K-8 library a better pick for 7-12.

Rating  #1 (Highly Recommended)   #2    ✓  #3    #4 (Not acceptable)

Interest Level:  7-12  Reading Level:  8+

Curriculum Area:  Language Arts

Themes/Topics: Magic, Fantasy, Wizardry

This book would be suitable for    Lit Circles    Kit Materials    ✓ Read-Aloud (Gr.)  6

Publisher Website

Reviews – Zubon, Becky’s Book Reviews

Impossible Things

Author: Robin Stevenson Copyright Date: 2008

I like impossible things and I love them in this short novel.  Robin Stevenson creates a cast of lovable, quirky characters and allows them to triumph over their trendy and cool nemeses.  I must admit I love stories with underdogs and outcasts and Impossible Things is a great re-telling of this age old story.  Cassidy Silver and her little brother are trying to support each other through difficult times at school.  A new girl moves to town and strikes up a friendship with Cassidy.  With her new friend by her side suddenly previously impossible things seem to be happening.  A great addition to the K-8 library.  The opening chapter would make a good introductory read aloud with opportunities for talking about bullying, friendship and for teaching making connections and predicting.

CM Review

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓    #2        #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 4-6        Reading Level:  Grade 4+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, Health

Theme(s) Topic(s):  Friendship, Bullying

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.) 4-6

Diamond Willow nominee 2009

Dear Jo

Title:    Dear Jo
Author: Christina Kilbourne Copyright Date: 2007

Dear Jo has an action driven plot line told through a reflective diary format.  Kilbourne’s characters are well-developed and consistent with the exception of the police officer whose behaviour feels a bit over-friendly.  The embedded educational element dealing with online safety is a bit strong and feels didactic.  I found the rules in the appendix somewhat excessive and wonder if they would feel strange and silly to the very clientele for which they are intended.  It would be helpful to have added some statistics on cyber-stalking to put the scare tactics into perspective.

A suggested read aloud portion for introducing the book could be pages 28-31.  It would open possible discussion of online relationships and risks and would allow for predicting and making connections.

CM Review

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended)    #2    ✓    #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, ICT, personal and social values

Theme(s) Topic(s):  Internet Safety, relationships, online dating, cyberstalking, chat spaces, depression

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.) 6-8

Snow Willow nominee 2009

War Brothers

Author:  Sharon E. McKay Copyright Date: 2008

War Brothers is an outstanding piece of realistic fiction.  We follow the lives of several boys and a girl as they survive being captured by Northern Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army.  Sharon McKay is kind to the reader and allows us to see the situation through the eyes of a boy who remains kind and wholesome throughout his experience while his experiences are neither kind nor wholesome.  This story allows the reader to reflect on the possibilities of good and evil in humanity. A painful read at times, McKay does not leave us without hope for her characters and Uganda.  A necessary addition to the 6-12 library.  A great accompaniment for other stories on growing up around the world – Iqbal, Parvana’s Journey, Tree Girl.  It is difficult to pick a read aloud portion from this book.  A possible introductory read aloud would be pages 56-61 where the boys are discussing life in America.  This piece would allow for some discussion of cultural differences and dorm life and teaching students about making connections and contrasts as a strategy for increasing comprehension.
CM Review
Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓    #2        #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, Social Studies

Theme(s) Topic(s):  War, Peace, Child Soldiers, Africa, Fear, Survival

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.) 7+

Snow Willow nominee 2009

Tweaked

Author:   Katherine Holubitsky Copyright Date: 2008

Gordie Jessup is just trying to survive as his family falls apart in the face of his brother’s addiction to crystal meth.  A compelling story which never lets you go. Told in a diary style with the intension of highlighting the troubles and pitfalls of drugs, Holubitsky never gets preachy.  A great addition to a 6-12 library.

The first chapter would make a good introductory read aloud and would offer opportunities for looking at predicting,  connecting and use of flashback.
CM Review

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓    #2        #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, Social Studies, Health

Theme(s) Topic(s):  Drug addiction, survival, family relationships

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.)

Snow Willow nominee 2009

Power Plays

Author: Maureen Ulrich Copyright Date: 2007

Jessie’s family has moved from Saskatoon to Estevan and Jessie is having a rough time. Some of the girls have started to bully her and make her life miserable. Power Play is part Klutzhood and part Egghead; a bully story set in small town Canada. Despite the high hockey content, this is a girl’s book. The relationships and romance drive the story line. The characters are well-developed and likable. The plot is believable and reasonably compelling. There would be many opportunities to look at real life connection to the events of the book. This book would make a good companion to Outsiders by S.E. Hinton as a more up-to-date coming of age story. Some passages would be useful in a Health Guidance class for opening discussion on use of instant messaging and protecting yourself from bullying. As with Dear Jo, there is a didactic component to this book. The final pages from the book are self-help for bullying victims and bystanders. I’m not sure I like these kinds of incursions into my personal reading but maybe that’s not the intent of this book, to be pleasure reading. Still, I would recommend this book for school use and as pleasure reading for your girl hockey fanatics. I can think of some of my kids for whom this might be an excellent read.

CM Review

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓ #2 #3 #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level: Grade 7-9 Reading Level: Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, Health, Personal and Social Values

Theme(s) Topic(s): Bullying, MSM, changes, hockey, small town vs. city, fitting in, growing up

This book would be suitable for: ✓ Lit Circles ✓ Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.) 7+

Snow Willow nominee 2009

The Night Wanderer

Author:   Drew Hayden Taylor Copyright Date: 2007

A vampire novel set on an Ontario reserve was not something I was expecting.  I’m not a huge fan of vampires but this story has more going for it than teeth and blood.  Tiffany is struggling with making her way through high school, figuring out how to deal with her parents and their divorce, balancing friends and boyfriend and trying to see if a native girl can date a white boy in her backwoods town.  Taylor’s characters are rich and nuanced.  His setting is real and authentic.  The tensions of the novel are compelling.  This is a great read and it challenges cultural assumptions about Canadian First Nations people.  Add this book to your K-12 library collection.  A Must!

A possible read aloud for introducing the book would begin on page 8 at “Normally, Tiffany wouldn’t be in the library…”  and finish at the top of page 12.  This passage would introduce two of the main characters and some of the racial tensions of the novel.

CM Review

Quill and Quire

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓    #2        #3         #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts, Social Studies

Theme(s) Topic(s):  mystery, adventure, race relations, life on reserve, vampires

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.)

Snow Willow nominee 2009

Alexandria of Africa

Author:   Eric Walters Copyright Date: 2008

Alexandria of Africa is one of Eric Walters latest offerings.  Alexandria is a strong character and the story is told through her eyes.  This offers a first hand glimpse of her motivations and perspective.  She is not an attractive character to begin with and we are allowed to see inside her shallow and self-centered soul.  The plot that follows is unlikely but interesting.  The settings and characters are well described and detailed.  The plot offers possibility for the contrast of cultures and experiences from North to South.

The first chapter would make a good read aloud passage for introducing the character and setting to new readers.  It would allow for teaching of visualization and descriptive writing.

CM Review

Quill and Quire

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended)    #2 ✓  #3     #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level:  Grade 7-9        Reading Level:  Grade 7+

Curriculum Area:  Social Studies, Language Arts, Health, Personal and Social Values

Theme(s) Topic(s):  Coming of age/growing up, wealth and poverty, making a difference, entitlement, change, consumer culture

This book would be suitable for:    ✓ Lit Circles  ✓  Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.)

Snow Willow nominee 2009

Juvie Three

Title: Juvie Three
Author: Gordon Korman Copyright Date: 2008

Another book by Gordon Korman, again it is great fun. Three boys from Juvenile Detention are moved into a group home with an unconventional group leader. No one thinks it will work and one of the boys is determined to find trouble. The relationships and antics of this group make it well worth reading. Excellent character developments, well-told story, interesting sub-plots.  Recommend this one to your middle years boys. They will not be disappointed.

Many chapters would make great stand alone read alouds. Chapter Eight shows the introduction to one of the characters and would be particularly good on its own. The book offers possibilities for teaching predicting and inferring.

CM Review

Quill and Quire

School Library Journal

Rating: #1(Highly Recommended) ✓ #2 #3 #4 (not acceptable)

Interest Level: Grade 7-9 Reading Level: Grade 7+

Curriculum Area: Language Arts

Theme(s) Topic(s): Justice, Reform, Crime, Punishment, Honesty, Friendship, Change, Growing up, Realistic Fiction, Gangs

This book would be suitable for: ✓ Lit Circles ✓ Kit Materials ✓Read-Aloud (Gr.)

Snow Willow nominee 2009