Potpourri

Potpourri - noun \ˌpō-pu̇-ˈrē\ 2. : a miscellaneous collection (Merriam-Webster online)


The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane is the story of 8th grade Molly.  Her father has recently died in an auto accident, her mother is going through the motions of living, and she is just trying to figure out things and cope day to day. To overcome some of her problems, she decides to join the baseball team - the boys baseball team since baseball helps her feel connected to her dad. She only hopes the knuckleball she can throw will help her earn the position. Realistic and memorable.


Legend by Marie Lu is the first novel for this art director of a video game company.  (I can visualize the characters and settings in a game.)  Set in a post-apocalyptic United States, Day is from the slums and is the most wanted criminal in the Republic.  June is a member of the elite, a military prodigy,with nothing but a bright future ahead of her. However, when June's brother is murdered, Day's and June's paths cross when Day becomes the prime suspect.  June sets out to apprehend him and bring him to justice.  But all is not what it seems.  If you like dystopian novels, this is for you. Action, thriller with a sprinkle of romance.


Jack Gantos' Dead End in Norvelt made me laugh out loud. Really. I know many of you (OK, most of you) avoid historical fiction like the plague.  Even though this is historical fiction/non-fiction - because the character's name is Jack Gantos - don't miss this one.  Jack does some pretty dumb things and suffers an summer of grounding for his actions.  One thing that gets him out of the house/yard is helping an elderly lady write the obituaries for the local paper.  His summer is filled with death, gore, fire, Hell's Angels, and nosebleeds. If you think your hometown is weird, you have never been to Norvelt.  Don't miss this one!

A bit Depressing, but Good

In the mood for a historical adventure, filled with rich details about what life would be like in a Communist state? Read Anne Fine's The Road of Bones. This novel is a tale of survival by a young teen that is marked as "an enemy of the state" for a few muttered words. Yuri is on the run, leaving his family, to avoid the beating and eventual imprisonment for his crime that is not really a crime as we know it.

Terry Trueman's Hurricane: A Novel is based on Hurricane Mitch, one of the worst storms to ever hit the Caribbean. Jose is fourteen and lives in a small village with his parents, brothers, and sisters. Life is good for his family and him, as he goes to the International School and is learning to speak English, he plays soccer with his friends, and his village is filled with friendly, kind neighbors. But then, one night the hurricane arrives and life changes in a few short hours.

If you have read Ben Mikaelsen's Touching Spirit Bear, don't miss the sequel Ghost of Spirit Bear. Cole and Peter are leaving the island and going home and to the high school where it all started. Neither is sure they can handle the gangs, the taunts, and violence every day at their urban school. Has their time on the island been successful? How do they handle the new bullies that are just like Cole once was? Can they make changes?