The Haunting of Josh Weston by Melinda Rucker Haynes


The Haunting of Josh Weston by Melinda Rucker Haynes
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (204 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

After the death of his cousin and his father’s subsequent death in Afghanistan, former star athlete and gifted student, Josh Weston and his mother move to a desolate ranch in the Arizona desert. Josh blames himself for his father’s death and for the shooting of his best friend. Besides giving up on everything he used be great at, he is relentlessly bullied at his new school.

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It’s never easy being the new kid in town.

Josh’s traumatic reaction to the violent deaths of his relatives shortly before the events of this book began was well-written. He had obviously been left with some pretty serious emotional damage from those experiences. As sad as it made me to see him relive certain moments from his past over and over again, I was also pleased with how much research the author seemed to have done on how experiences like this can haunt someone. Based on my knowledge of this subject, she wrote an accurate portrayal of how someone would be expected to react to such a terrible and life-changing experience over the longterm.

There were pacing issues. The narrator spent a great deal of time introducing himself and the audience to his new home and community. As interesting as it was to see a detailed description of how Josh adapted to living in an unfamiliar place, this left the rest of the storyline with less room than it should have had to show what happened to this character after he met a potential friend and began settling into a routine. I found it hard to remain interested in the plot at certain points because of this.

The plot twists in this tale were well done. Ms. Rucker Haynes really knew how to throw her audience for a loop before revealing her actual intentions for her characters. I enjoyed all of the surprises she had in store for me as I read. This wasn’t the first thing I’ve read from her, but it was my favorite tale from her so far because of how much effort she put into keeping her audience on our toes.

I’d recommend The Haunting of Josh Weston to readers who enjoy fiction about the paranormal, mental health concerns, or, even better, both of these topics.

Walk on the Wild Side by Nicholas Oldland


Walk on the Wild Side by Nicholas Oldland
Life in the Wild
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Genre: Childrens, Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

This clever picture book tells readers right away what to expect. ?There once was a bear, a moose and a beaver who loved adventure. But sometimes their competitive natures got in the way of having fun.? One day, the three set off to climb a mountain together. But on the way there, they decide to make it more exciting by turning the climb into a race to the top. It’s only after being sidelined by a series of mishaps — a boulder tumbling down the path, the moose hanging off the side of the cliff, the bear hanging off the moose hanging off the side of the cliff — that the three friends realize competitions don’t always make for a good time. ?At the end of the day, the bear, the moose and the beaver agreed that reaching the top of the mountain was great, but enjoying the journey together was even better.?
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This funny, contemporary fable is from Nicholas Oldland’s popular Life in the Wild series. The wonderful fun here is the comedy that highlights the adventure, in both the dry humor of the text as well as the simple, earth-toned illustrations that provide a humorous visual play-by-play of the action. This would make a terrifically entertaining storytime title, easily promoting the importance of teamwork, kindness and friendship. It could also be used in the early grades as part of a classroom discussion of woodland animals and their habitats. Another lesson here is the pleasure of getting outdoors for recreation.

If you’re not having fun when you’re out with your friends, there’s a problem.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that showed what can happen to someone who goes hiking and doesn’t pay attention to their surroundings. This is the kind of activity that can be a bit dangerous at times for anyone who doesn’t follow basic safety rules, so it was nice to see that acknowledged in a kid-friendly way. I also enjoyed seeing how the characters reacted once they realized that their race up to the top of the mountain wasn’t going to be as quick and easy as they originally thought. Their responses to the actual terrain they were rushing through were perfect.

There were so many missed opportunities for plot development. The storyline would briefly mention something incredibly interesting that happened to the character while they were attempting to get to the top of the mountain only to never bring it up again. While I wouldn’t necessarily expect them to go into a lot of detail about every single twist in the journey, it would have been nice to have a clearer picture of at least some of their adventures.

The message of this tale was such a positive one. I liked the fact that the characters were given so many opportunities to learn why it’s important to cooperate with each other and what happens when a group of friends decides to treat each other like the competition instead. It was never heavy-handed, but the narrator did get their point across well.

I’d recommend Walk on the Wild Side to adventurers of all ages.

December Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ The Boyfriend Mistake by Charity West


The Boyfriend Mistake by Charity West
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (116 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

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All Mya ever wanted was to date golden boy Prescott Monroe, captain of the football team, loved by the entire school. But when she gets her wish, it isn’t long before she realizes that things are not all as they seem. The guy everyone in her school loves is hiding something, and there’s a darkness in his eyes that only she seems to see. Can she get away before it’s too late?

Ryder James has earned his label as Central High’s bad boy, and he relishes the title. It gives him a different girl at the snap of his fingers, and more parties than he could ever hope to attend. But the one thing he’s always wanted and knows he can never have—the untouchable Mya Henderson.

Until one fateful morning Mya’s world changes forever, leaving her completely shattered, and Ryder suddenly isn’t the bad boy everyone’s warned her away from. Instead, he’s her knight in shining armor.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi


The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When a young girl named Kikko realizes her father has forgotten the pie he was supposed to bring to Grandma’s house, she offers to try and catch him as he makes his way through the woods. She hurriedly follows her father’s footprints in the snow and happens upon a large house she has never seen before. Curious, Kikko peers through the window, when she is startled by a small lamb wearing a coat and carrying a purse. Even more surprising, the lamb speaks, asking her in a kind voice, ?Are you here for the tea party?? Suddenly, Kikko realizes her trip through the woods has turned into something magical.

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There was so much kindness woven into this book. Originally, I was planning to recommend it to a slightly older age group, but it was so gentle that I decided to include younger readers as well. Every scene was filled with so much warmth that I think it would appeal to preschoolers just as much as it would to older children. This is even more true for kids who like the fantasy genre or spending time out in nature.

While I loved the premise of this one, there wasn’t as much going on with the storyline as I would have preferred to see. Kikko’s adventures could have been summarized in far fewer pages because of how quickly everything happened. Had there been more conflict or the inclusion of a plot twist or two, I would have chosen a much higher rating for this story. It definitely had promise, but it simply didn’t do as much with the ideas explored in it as I would have liked to see.

The animals in this tale had abilities that bears, deer, and other creatures in our world do not. I can’t go into a lot of details about this without giving away spoilers, but I was amused by all of the things they were capable of doing. The descriptions of how they lead their lives in the quiet and remote parts of a forest were as detailed as they were creative.

Anyone who enjoys tea parties should give The Tea Party in the Woods a try.

Hannah and Sugar by Kate Berube


Hannah and Sugar by Kate Berube
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Genre: Childrens, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Every day after school, Hannah’s school bus is greeted by her classmate’s dog, Sugar. All of the other kids love Sugar, but Hannah just can’t conquer her fear of dogs. Then, one day, Sugar goes missing, so Hannah joins the search with her classmates. Will Hannah find a way to be brave, and make a new friend in the process?

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It was nice to see how gentle and understanding everyone was with Hannah. She was given the opportunity to pet the dog every day, but none of the adults in her life ever pushed her to do it. They respected the fact that this was something that would be difficult for her even if they didn’t understand why. They were good role models both for adults as well as for kids who might one day make a friend with someone like the main character of this story.

I would have liked to see more time exploring Hannah’s fear of dogs. It seemed to be something that bothered her a lot, so I was surprised by the fact that the narrator didn’t go into detail about when or why it first developed for her. This seemed as thought it should have been something that was mentioned at least once while the main character was figuring out how to react after Sugar went missing.

The ending made me smile. Hannah’s decision to help everyone go looking for Sugar after that pet went missing was a brave one. I was pleased by the fact that she decided to join in so quickly despite how nervous she was around dogs in general. There was also something to be said for the way no one made a fuss over this choice. Hannah was included without a second thought, and her help was appreciated. All of this made the final scene even more poignant than it would have already been.

Hannah and Sugar should be read by anyone who has ever been afraid of something ordinary.

The Boyfriend Mistake by Charity West


The Boyfriend Mistake by Charity West
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (116 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

All Mya ever wanted was to date golden boy Prescott Monroe, captain of the football team, loved by the entire school. But when she gets her wish, it isn’t long before she realizes that things are not all as they seem. The guy everyone in her school loves is hiding something, and there’s a darkness in his eyes that only she seems to see. Can she get away before it’s too late?
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Ryder James has earned his label as Central High’s bad boy, and he relishes the title. It gives him a different girl at the snap of his fingers, and more parties than he could ever hope to attend. But the one thing he’s always wanted and knows he can never have—the untouchable Mya Henderson.

Until one fateful morning Mya’s world changes forever, leaving her completely shattered, and Ryder suddenly isn’t the bad boy everyone’s warned her away from. Instead, he’s her knight in shining armor.

Mia doesn’t know what to do. Girlfriend of the school’s football star she discovers he’s not as nice as he makes out. However, it would be social disaster for her if she ditched him. The other boy in her life is Ryder, the school hottie, but his reputation precedes him and he is always sarcastic to her so she tries to steer clear of him.

Things come to a head when her boyfriend tries to take it a step too far and she says no. Ryder intervenes and everything changes for Mia.

I really liked the way the author got inside both Mia and Ryder’s heads to show how they reacted to the most horrible thing a girl can go through. The whole story seemed so real and the characters were three dimensional and appeared to be very caring of each other.

This book is brilliant. If I had a teenage daughter I would insist she read it. It’s a story which shows how a teenager can be brave in the face of adversity. Totally deserves a 5 star rating.

Rabbit’s Snow Dance by Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac


Rabbit’s Snow Dance by Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac
Publisher: Dial Books
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Rabbit loves the winter. He knows a dance, using an Iroquois drum and song, to make it snow—even in summertime! When rabbit decides that it should snow early, he starts his dance and the snow begins to fall. The other forest animals are not happy and ask him to stop, but Rabbit doesn’t listen. How much snow is too much, and will Rabbit know when to stop?

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With great power comes many opportunities to misuse it.

Repetition is one of those things that can make or break a children’s book. Luckily, the repetition in this book was handled perfectly. It happened often enough to give the storyline a sense of rhythm, and the words used in it were so catchy that I actually really liked seeing them pop up over and over again. They also gave the audience a lot of insight into Rabbit’s personality. The more he repeated those terms, the more I learned about who he was as a character.

The only thing I wish had been added to this tale was an explanation of where Rabbit’s powers came from. His ability to control the weather was impressive. I only wish I could have known if it was something he’d always been able to do or if his decision to make it snow in the middle of summer was a one-time mistake. With that being said, this is a minor criticism of something I enjoyed reading quite a bit.

There was so much humor tucked into the plot. I chuckled my way through many of the scenes, especially the later ones when Rabbit’s wish for winter weather began to come true. There were so many moments where his stubborn insistence on skipping ahead to his favorite season had consequences that he couldn’t have seen coming but might have taken they risk they’d happen anyway if he did. It was delightful to watch this character react to everything that happened to him as a result of his stubbornness.

I’d recommend Rabbit’s Snow Dance to readers of all ages, from kids to adults, who love legends.

The Littlest Sled Dog by Michael Kusugak


The Littlest Sled Dog by Michael Kusugak
Publisher: Orca Books Publishers
Genre: Childrens, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (36 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Igvillu is a little dog with big dreams. One of her favorite dreams is of becoming a sled dog. When Igvillu is adopted from her kennel by an Inuit storyteller and moves to northern Canada, she comes face-to-face with real sled dogs. Igvillu loves living in the North, chasing siksiks and dreaming about her future. She’s a dog who believes anything is possible!

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Igvillu was such a brave and confident animal. I grinned at the thought of her pulling a sled the first time she decided that’s what she wanted to do with her life. The more determined she became to grow up to be a sled dog, the more curious I felt as to how she might accomplish her goal. More than anything I hope she’d come up with a creative way to become the fierce and strong canine that she always wanted to be.

The ending was disappointing because of how little it had in common with the beginning and middle of this story. There was quite a bit of foreshadowing earlier on that wasn’t mentioned in the last few scenes. I found this surprising, and not in a positive way. If everything had been wrapped up the way it seemed it was going to be when I read the first page, I would have given this a much higher rating.

Some of the best sections of this tale were the ones that described how well Igvillu was taken care of after she became an adult and was sent to live with another human family. They obviously loved her quite a bit, and they showed it by how well they treated her from the beginning. There’s something beautiful about reading about a dog who had everything she needs in life and almost everything she desired as well.

I’d recommend The Littlest Sled Dog to anyone who loves dogs of all shapes and sizes.

A Life Unfolds in the City by Ruth Zavitsanos


A Life Unfolds in the City by Ruth Zavitsanos
Publisher: CiaoSummer Press
Genre: Historical, YA
Length: Full length (232 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

New York City, 1906– With the fast-approaching death of their mother, the lives of two sisters, Martha and Lilah Caldon, are about to change. Lilah, the younger of the two, is favored by their mother. She receives the best education and attends various social events outfitted in the finest wardrobe. The only exception is the annual Broadway play Martha attends with her parents, when Lilah is left at home. Every year since she turned 16, Martha and her parents go backstage after the play to meet Miss Sahara, the beautiful leading actress.

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Being a young woman in New York in 1906 could be quite challenging, and this story opens up that world and its possibilities. Readers get to know two very different sisters who have a nice life but are facing the loss of their mother. As they deal with it, their true natures come out.

Martha is engaging and relatable. When her father takes her to the theater, she meets interesting people. Rick is instantly charming, and he shows Martha around. The author of the story treats her readers to wonderful little details of the backstage world.  When Martha and Rick interact, the writing is so well done that readers can feel Martha’s excitement right along with her.

This is a tale of young love, but there’s a parallel story of lost love found again. The two stories are interwoven beautifully. There were surprises in the unfolding of events, unexpected deals made, betrayal, and treachery. A need for forgiveness arises, and readers will wonder if the characters have it in them to do so, after all that’s happened.

World events of the era are thrown in to add interest, and when the characters get involved or voice their thoughts, it reveals a lot about them.

This is a wonderful little story, a historically-set drama that is well worth the read.

The Woods by Paul Hoppe


The Woods by Paul Hoppe
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (44 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Being afraid of the dark doesn’t mean being afraid alone. When a boy can’t find his favorite stuffed bunny, he bravely heads into the woods to look for it. Instead, he finds a big, scary brown bear! But the bear is just lonely, so the boy shares his night light and forges ahead with his new companion, until…they run into two frightening giants! As the boy continues on, he comes across other seemingly menacing creatures, but finds that—like him—they’re just looking for some comfort and security before bedtime. Simple text and classic European style meet a fresh, modern twist in this delightful picture book.

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The amount and types of conflict was perfect for the age group it was written for. There were definitely a few scary moments, but they were always handled with kindness. I wouldn’t hesitate to read this to even the most sensitive child due to how wonderfully the author dealt with the frightening things that can happen when someone goes tromping into the woods to find their favorite toy.

With that being said, the ending was less satisfactory. The narrator’s explanation for why the main character’s quest had ended wasn’t a very detailed one. While the basic framework was there to explain what happened to his bunny, it would have been helpful to know more about how and why that toy was stolen. There was so much more room to cover here, and it would have easily persuaded me to give it a much higher rating if the narrator had been willing to explain more of this part of the plot to the audience.

One of the best parts of this book had to do with how the monsters were handled. The main character kept running into these creatures as he wandered around in the woods looking for his toy. Without giving away too many details, they all had excellent reasons for behaving the way that they did. It was a great deal of fun to find out what those reasons were and see how the protagonist reacted to them once he got to know them a bit better.

The Woods should be read by any family who likes to follow the same bedtime routine every night.