The King of Jam Sandwiches

Robbie can't control much in his life.  His dad doesn't pay any attention to him and sometimes just disappears.  His mother died when he was young.  Robbie keeps things together and works at being the best he can be and being prepared.   When Harmony comes into his life it is anything but harmonious.  She has a chip on her shoulder - mother in rehab and she is in foster care.  But despite the odds the 2 become friends.  Can these broken people help each other heal and even thrive?

This was really good - Harmony and Robbie were good together and the message was clear.  Maybe too heavy handed?

Don't Turn Out the Lights

This tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will be a major hit.  All the Scary Stories editions are still popular in my school and this are a great addition to the canon - so excited to purchase and then watch kids fight over it :)

Spindlefish and Stars

This was a curious book.  I ended up enjoying it quite a bit but will the intended audience "get it"?

Clo's life has been in the shadows - her father is an old ex-painter who restores (and steals) works of art.  One night when he doesn't come home Clo sets off at their meeting spot.  When he still doesn't arrive a messenger gives her a note from her father and a ticket.  Clo doesn't understand at all what is happening especially when she arrives on an island where she can't understand anything and is put to work carding and spinning.  Eventually after nearly drowning and eating a strange soup she begins to understand.  She is living with her grandmother and Mischief the cat who weave (or damage in the cat's case) a tapestry.  But what exactly is the tapestry and how does it fit in with Clo's past and maybe her future.

On the island Clo meets Cary who at first is the only one who understands her.  Together the two friends rescue each other and set out on a new life.

The cool parts - the tie in to Greek mythology Fate and Icarus for example.  The language on the island was a neat trick (spoiler - it was written backwards).  it took me awhile to figure out and then I went back to read it all.  Will readers pick up on it?  It was a bit bizarre though... curious to see what my readers think.

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears

Paola's scientific mind has never had any room for her mom's superstitions and stories.  But when her best friend goes missing near the "haunted" river Paola begins to question everything.  Soon she and her other friend find themselves deep in a fight against all sorts of creatures.  Can Paola find Emma and close the rift before it's too late.

I am thrilled with Rick Riordan's continuing efforts to get books out there in folklore of other countries and cultures.  This Mexican inspired story was a lot of fun.

The Mulberry Tree

Immy's parents have just moved her away from Australia and her friends to a village in England.  They need to start over - especially her dad who is recovering from a traumatic incident.  In their search for a home they find a quant cottage but the realtor tries to steer them away because the cottage has a past - more specifically the mulberry tree in the yard has a past.  2 girls on the eve of their 11th birthdays disappeared and Immy is about to turn 11.  But her family isn't afraid and even though Immy has a strange connection to the tree and has experienced some weird things she tries not to be afraid either.  But maybe she should be?

This was a fun ride...  I did enjoy the ending.

Dress Coded

Enough is enough.  Molly Frost is sick and tired of her friends getting dress coded - shamed, punished, reprimanded for dress code infractions.  She decides to start a podcast where students can tell their stories and others can hear about how students are unfairly targeted and how it can be arbitrary.  Can Molly and her friends make a difference?

This was a good story about an issue that is quite prevalent in middle schools and high schools.  I felt it could have been trimmed down a bit - it seemed to lag in the middle for me but overall quite good and could lead to some healthy discussion on the topic.

Red Stars

This is kind of an odd story - or at least the format is.  The main gist is that twins Nadya and Viktor were sent away from their hometown to keep them safe after the German invasion of Russia.  But they were separated.  The story, told in diary entries and photos and documents by both children tells of their struggles to survive and to find each other.  The interesting part is that the book itself is an "investigation" into their crimes during this time by a top Russian.  Throughout the book he makes notes in their entries about the crimes they are committing, etc.  

I really liked the format and story at first but to me it got really long and tired by the end.  For readers who are really into a historical jaunt - especially Russia in WWII I think they will enjoy it.