True Confessions by Martha Brooks
Groundwood Books, 2003, 181 pp., $16.00

Relationships/Teen Pregnancy
ISBN:0-374-37806-1

17-year old Noreen is driving around lost on a rainy night and ends up at a small town café. Her arrival stirs up the lives of the cafe owner and friends. The grandmother figure, Delores, learns from Noreen that she has run away from her boyfriend and family because she doesn't know how to handle life's unexpected turns. Noreen also tells Delores that she is pregnant, and has not told the baby's father.

Noreen is allowed to stay at the café, but seems to cause trouble, no matter what she does. Readers experience a fire, fights, and a café remodeling, not to mention the emotional conversations between Noreen and Wesley, her boyfriend.

This coming of age novel is realistic and easy to read. What will Noreen do about the baby? Will she tell Wesley that she is pregnant? What will the other characters decide about their own lives? This is a well-written novel for the more mature teen reader.

Jennifer York
Knoxville, TN

Sonny's War by Valerie Hobbs
Frances Foster Books/Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2002, 224 pp., $16.00

Female Coming of Age/Historical-Vietnam
ISBN: 0-337371136-9

Cory is fourteen years old and living in Ojala, California. It's a sleepy town where all there is to do is "cruise" Main Street, and watch her brother drag race. She is growing into young womanhood during the exciting, idealistic, confusing, tumultuous 60's. In one year her father dies, her brother is drafted and sent to Vietnam, her favorite history teacher (on whom she has a crush) is a conscientious objector, and she and her mother are forced to become independent.

Valerie Hobbs eloquently depicts the turmoil and bittersweet humor of a young girl who deals simultaneously with loss, betrayal, and love within her own life and the lives of people she holds most dear. The story is gripping, memorable, and readable. It is historically accurate and significant.

Set during the Vietnam Conflict, the reader "experiences" living the effects of the war on those persons left home.

Linda Broughton
Mobile, Alabama

Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2002, 266 pp., $18.99

Fantasy: Short Story
ISBN: 0-399-23796-8

Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson weave fanciful tales in their short story anthology Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits . This is a collection of six enchanting tales—three by each author—linked by an aquatic theme.

The stories are filled with Greek and Roman underworld myths, and possess a near reverent tone, as the opening story, "Mermaid Song" sets the tone between those who dwell land and those who dwell on sea - only the landsman who has listened to stories passed down through generations can accord the sea its proper respect. The authors alternate stories in the text, but each brings his and her own seamless quality to the telling. In Dickinson's stories, characters are easy for readers to relate to, as in "Mermaid Song." Dickinson also makes the sea monster, Kraken, a creature to be pitied. Similarly, McKinley's stories make the reader wish to be in them. Her "The Sea-King's Son" will undoubtedly become a new fairy tale.

The writing duo have created a book that challenges ideas about other worlds as well as about our own world. The stories explore the spirits of water, and those who live with it. McKinley and Dickinson push the reader's imagination to its limits while delighting it as well.

JoAnna M. Ball
Lawrence, Kansas

The Secret Within by Theresa Martin Golding
Boyds Mills Press, 2002, 240 pp., $15.95

Abuse/Friendship
ISBN: 1-5639-7995-0

Thirteen-year-old Carly Chambers keeps secrets. Her peers can't breech her armor of silence. No one in the resort community of Oceanside knows that her father causes the bruises she wears.

And her parents have no idea that she sneaks out of her window each night to lead a second life on the balmy summer boardwalk. Carly also uncovers other people's secrets. Eddie the newsstand man has a son who doesn't know he exists. Aileen, the strange girl in the long flowing skirts, could really be a special friend. And, Nick, the popular athlete, honestly likes her.

When a tall stranger follows her, and she discovers that the "candy" deliveries her father forces her to make aren't candy, and the house of cards crumbles.

Carly finally musters enough strength to admit the truth, stand up to her father, and accept help from others. Recommended for ages 12 and up, The Secret Within sensitively depicts internal conflict that silences abuse victims, and shows readers the situation is escapable once the truth is revealed.

Michele Winship
Columbus, Ohio

Once Upon a Marigold, by Jean Ferris
Harcourt, Inc. 2002, 266 pp., $17.00

Fantasy/Coming-of-age
ISBN: 0-1521-16791-9

This is a funny fairy tale about a little prince who runs away to the forest and finds a friendly troll to live with.

Edric, the troll, really doesn't want to take the prince home with him, but is too kindhearted to leave him. Years pass and Prince Christian, who has forgotten about his royal lineage, falls in love with the princess who lives across the river. Through a series of misfortunes and adventures he wins the princess Marigold, and defeats the evil stepmother just as expected in fairy tales.

The most non-traditional part of this story is Edric the Troll, who spices his speech with mangled proverbs as he advises his foster child/prince through his teenage growing pains. Young readers from middle to secondary levels will enjoy this tongue-in-cheek tale about a troll, a prince, and the search for eternal love.

Freya Zipperer
Savannah, Georgia

Thorn Ogres of Hagwood by Robin Jarvis
Harcourt, 2002, 244 pp., $16.00

Fantasy/Animal/Shape-Shifting/Evil
ISBN: 0-15-216752-8

In this Book One of the Hagwood Trilogy , werlings, diminutive human-like creatures who can change shape and live in a forgotten forest, are drawn into a war with their evil neighbors, blood-thirsty thorn ogres led by the evil, (literally) heartless High Lady Rhiannon.

Young Gamaliel Tumpin, insecure and unable to change into a mouse in his early days of wergling school, finds that he is more courageous than he might have thought. In concert with his fellow students, and led by an older, talented student, Finnan Luffkin, Gamaliel meets danger he never imagined. Finnan has his own weakness, which complicates the plot and will ultimately give meaning to the trilogy.

An assortment of odd and humorous characters quickens the pace of this plot-driven tale. Highly imaginative, ornately descriptive, and vividly gory, Thorn Ogres will appeal to lovers of fantasy, and the ending will make readers want to find the next volume.

Cyrene Wells
Machias, Maine

Flight to Freedom by Ana Veciana-Suarez
Orchard Books, 2002, 208 pp., $16.95

Historical Fiction/Immigrant experience
ISBN: 0-439-38199-1

As one of the two novels in of the new First Person Fiction series by Scholastic, Flight to Freedom is a first person fictional account, written in the form of a diary, of Yara Garcia's immigration to Miami.

The first quarter of the novel takes place in Cuba, as Yara and her family wait for the government to process their visas to the United States. In the meantime, Yara's Papi must work out in the fields, and she and her sister Ileana spend forty-five days laboring on a tobacco farm. Finally, they arrive in the U.S. only to face a new set of challenges. Yara has left her brother and other relatives behind, and she must contend with learning a new language, and a new way of life. Her Mami (mother) learns to drive and gets a job, while Papi (father) joins an anti-Castro group which hopes to end his rule, by force if necessary.

Readers will relate to Yara's struggles with her parents as she tries to convince them to allow her to attend parties and travel with her friend, and as she keeps her sister's secrets.

After the end of the diary entries, Veciana-Suarez recounts her own journey from Cuba to the United States, and how she gathered information for Yara's story. The First Person Fiction series resembles the Dear America series, and Scholastic has future accounts planned from Chinese Americans, Haitian Americans, and Puerto Rican Americans.

Jackie Bach
Claremore, OK

The Parallel Universe of Liars,
by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson
Roaring Brook Press, 2002, 192 pgs., $15.95

Sexual abuse/Family/Self-esteem
SBN:0-7613-1746-5

Fifteen year-old Robin Davis, overweight and insecure, feels like she lives in a "parallel universe" where lies and secrets are commonplace.

First is the affair she discovers between Frankie, the handsome model next door who abuses drugs and alcohol, and her silicone-enhanced stepmother, Janice. Second, is her secret voyeurism through which she learns about sex. Then, there is her own illegal sexual relationship with Frankie, which both excites and scares her. Finally, surrounding these secrets are the relatively normal teenage problems: first dates, dysfunctional families, and self-esteem issues.

In her debut novel, Jeffries tells a compelling story whose multiple issues and problems would relate to a number of adolescent readers, especially females. However, because Robin' s "abusive" association with Frankie is never brought to the attention of adults, and is not ended cleanly nor clearly enough, I would hesitate to recommend this novel for students below high school age.

Lisa Scherff
Knoxville, TN

Doomed Queen Anne by Carolyn Meyer
Gulliver Books/Harcourt, 2002, 240pp., $17.00

History/Young Royals
ISBN 0-15-216523-1

Promising Henry VIII a male heir to his throne, Anne Boleyn manipulates him to her will by refusing to submit to his conjugal wishes. She convinces him to have his first marriage annulled to make their union legal and to maintain her integrity. When the Pope does not support this action, Henry splits the Church of England from the Catholic Church, an act that enrages many of his subjects.

Anne does become Queen, but when she does not produce a male child, she falls from favor. Though innocent of adulterous treason, she is convicted and beheaded. However, Elizabeth, the daughter whom she and Henry VIII conceive, does eventually become Queen. Given her options at the time, Anne Boleyn behaves in an understandable, if not exemplary, way.

Readers age 12 and up will gain a more profound understanding of the intrigue and the behind-the-scenes treachery of life in the British Royal Court in the 1500s.

Edgar H. Thompson
Emory, Viriginia

King of the Mild Frontier: An Ill-Advised Autobiography by Chris Crutcher
Greenwillow Books, 2003, 208 pp., $16.99

Autobiography
ISBN: 0-06-050249-5

Chris Crutcher, the renowned author of Chinese Handcuffs and Staying Fat for Sarah Burns (among other award winners), has strung together a set of Christmas lights in his "Ill-Advised Autobiography." In this book, fresh incidents are mingled with favorites that he has included in many of his talks before audiences of young adult literature fans.

Crutcher offers a composite of the characters who appear in his fiction. Though he occasionally jumps back and forth chronologically, the style, the sarcasm, the pity, the heart—indeed all the issues that pack his novels—are in this non-fiction book about his very own life. The events he chooses to write about allow the reader to speculate on those he didn't share, though he names name, even unflatteringly, in an effort to explore truth.

The book reads fast; it is engaging, and satisfying. The qualities that permeates the book and endears Chris to his fans, is the element that he applies to his hero Michael Jordan, and one he shares with him: humor and humility.

Len DeAngelis
Newport, RI

A Circle Of Time, by Marisa Montes
Harcourt, 2002, 261 pp., $17.00

Time Travel Mystery
ISBN 0-15-202626-6

A Circle of Time opens with a dramatic accident that simultaneously thrusts fourteen-year-old Alison Blair into a coma, and into the body of Becky Lee Thompson, a teenager living in California at the beginning of the twentieth century. Alison's mission—which she has no choice but to accept—is to save Becky from the disastrous fate that awaits her.

Initially, Alison has little understanding of the source of Becky's danger. However, when Teresa Cardona Pomales, a daughter of a wealthy Spanish landowner, takes Alison under her wing, she begins to unravel the mystery, which lies within the complex history and relationships of the Pomales family. Joshua Winthrop, Becky's attractive and sensitive boyfriend, also helps Alison, and in so doing develops a bond that extends through time.

Middle school readers who enjoy fantasy, mystery, and romance will especially appreciate this ambitious second novel. Although the plot is somewhat repetitive and predictable, the writing is strong and the ending creative. The exploration of issues such as life after death, and cultural change and diversity, makes this novel not only entertaining, but educational, with potential for readership across many different ages and grade levels.

Tom Philion
Oak Park, Illinois

Women In Politics by Karen Zeinert
Dutton Children's Books, 2002, 119 pp., $15.99

Women/Politics/Leadership
ISBN: 0-7613-2253-1

In the latter portion of the twentieth century, no single movement has had a greater impact on social change in political life than the introduction of women into higher office. Now, it is commonplace to see women, of all races and status, occupy prominent national positions, and even, allude to running for the presidency itself.

In an easy to read, smartly designed nonfiction work, Twenty-First Century books presents another in its series of books that tell interesting stories about the lives of significant individuals. This time, the story is the useful history about women in American political life, not just those who ran for office, but also famous advisers and appointees (e.g., Eleanor Roosevelt and Sandra Day O'Connor). The book begins in 1774 when 51 North Carolina women agreed to become actively involved in the conflict between England and the colonies, and then moves on to the antislavery movement and to suffrage. The black-and-white photos and reproductions that appear throughout are good touchstones for discussion, and a time line runs from 1774 through 2000 compliments the text.

Zeinert's book gives a sharp, historical and highly informative approach to the presence of women in American political life, and serves as a valuable primer for anyone who is even remotely interested in learning about both the sacrifices and glory of being in public office. This is a good resource for both middle and high school social studies classes.

Jeffrey S. Kaplan
Orlando, Florida

The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler
by James Cross Giblin
Clarion Books, 2002, 246 pp., $ 21.00

Biography/Dictator/Nazis
ISBN: 0-395-90371-8

A book about Adolf Hitler is never an easy read. One wonders: How can someone grow up to be such an evil human being—as if "human being" is a fit description for such a demented soul.

Yet fascination, curiosity, and a basic need to know compels the most reluctant reader to learn about this most heinous of all people. Complete with photographs and timelines, this good read (if you can call a book about Hitler, a good read) is bound to interest high school students who want to learn more about the individual who singlehandedly mesmerized the masses and changed the world.

A brilliant politician, Hitler swayed the entire German nation with promises of renewal and prosperity, even as he managed a strategy to dominate most of Europe. As he systematically carried out his plan, he set World War II in motion. Meanwhile, he managed to convince many rational German citizens that Jews were the cause of all evil, devising and ordering the deaths of more than six million men, women, and children.

In a straightforward and matter of fact manner, James Cross Giblin explores the forces that shaped the man as well as the social conditions that furthered his rapid rise to power. Beginning with his childhood in Austria to his final days in a Berlin bunker, we learn of why this enigmatic, deranged despot was able to destroy the civilized world.

Jeffrey S. Kaplan
Orlando, Florida

The Cannibals: Starring Tiffany Spratt by Cynthia D. Grant
Roaring Brook Press, 2002, 148 pp., $

Teen Problems/Humor
ISBN: 0-7613-2759-2

Tiffany Spratt, head of the cheerleading group called the Cannibals, is into celebrities, glamour, and little else. In her journal, Tiffany recounts the events of her senior year at Hiram Johnson High.

Readers are privy to Tiffany's triumphs and tragedies, not to mention her beauty tips. She tries to pursue a relationship with the new guy in school, Campbell MacLaine, but Campbell seems to want a girl with less style, and more substance.

It seems as if all Tiffany's dreams will come true when she successfully lobbies to have Scream Bloody Murder filmed at her school. But, when the movie people back out unexpectedly, Tiffany is blamed for the ensuing chaos: the swimming pool is filled with fake blood; two major soft drink companies sue the school; and all her friends desert her. Will Tiffany be ever able to show her face again?

This novel will primarily appeal to high school girls who revel in its confessional format. The novel's greatest strength is its humor. Author Cynthia Grant pokes fun at everything—from teen slasher flicks to 1-800 numbers—but she is never preachy or heavy-handed. Instead, the author gently reminds her readers what really matters in life. Hint—it is the cake, and not the frosting.

Eileen Callery
Shrub Oak, New York

The Hero's Trail: A Guide for a Heroic Life by T.A. Barron
Philomel,2002, 131 pp. $14.99

Inspiration; Setting high goals
ISBN: 0-399-23860-3

T. A. Barron, author of the popular Lost Years of Merlin series and Kate in the Heartland triology, is an active advocate for the many adolescents who can—and do—have a positive impact on the world. In this moving collection, Barron weaves together stories of young heroes. Some, like Anne Frank, are names with whom young readers are familiar. Others, like Keema McAdoo, a young teen who set up an after school program in her Massachusetts town as a way to provide kids in her neighborhood with an option to gangs and street violence, are new to readers. All of the book's heroes inspire readers to take action in our own neighborhoods and situations. Barron's gentle strength and optimism are evident in the narrative portions that he composes as he connects the threads of this wonderful book.

Barron is also the creator of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, a competition named for his mother, in which young people are honored for their truly fine and selfless works. For more information, see barronprize.org, and his Website, www.tabarron.com.

Sissi Carroll
Tallahassee, FL