Issue Six - Not Your School Summer Reading List

Some of you may be back to school. Others are soaking up some final rays before they hit the classroom. But either way, summer doesn't officially end till September 22. With that in mind, we're determined to throw out some final summer must-read books.

This month, WRN? recommends books about cool summer jobs like The Cardturner and The Vinyl Princess or vacations away from home like Nature Girl and Tortilla Sun. Summer’s also great for books that are fast and fun like Danielle Joseph’s Indigo Blues and Ladybug Girl at the Beach. 

If you’re not sure what to read in the last days of summer, be sure to check out Whatcha Gotta’ Read! section.We’re sure you’ll find a book so you can flop on your belly, prop up your elbows and lose yourself in a great summer escape.

Watch out readers, Danielle Joseph has done it again. Indigo Blues is hot off the presses and a totally cool read. Have you ever listened to a song on the radio and wondered if it was written about a real person? Have you ever wished you were that person? (well, if it was about a rocker being totally in love with you) I'll fess up and say I have…for sure. But, Indigo Jackson—the girl MC in the book—soooo does not want the attention that suddenly swarms her small town life when her ex-beau Adam—the guy MC in the book—writes a song about how she broke his heart. The song catapults Adam and his band mates to national superstar status in only a matter of weeks. But he's crushed when Indigo won't return his calls or text messages. Meanwhile, Indigo stews while trying to figure out how to deal with her sudden fame, including the people who hate her for being such a heartbreaker.  The one thing Indigo and Adam do have in common—well, besides the hit song—is that neither likes the limelight. Is that enough to bring them back together?  Told in alternating points of view, Danielle has written a novel that's as feel good as your favorite pick-me-up song.

Kerry: i think danielle really rocked this book, right?
michelle: definitely
jill: really cool premise...so different, and interesting! Love the boy.girl POV
Kerry: the multiple POV was done really well
michelle: me too, jill. it wouldn't have been the same story if it was just told by indigo
jill: i agree,
michelle. i liked hearing both sides of the story
michelle:i love stories about musicians
Kerry: the band sounded like some cool guys
jill: yeah, cool lyrics!
michelle, i know you like music books. i haven't read too many but this one was great
Kerry: about the lyrics...

Yvonne Prinz

Interviewed by Michelle Delisle

Hiya Yvonne!  Thanks so much for the interview.  So, we always want to know whatcha’ reading now?

I just finished a book called “Blame” by Michelle Hunevan. A beautiful story, exceptionally well told.  I just bought “Ablutions” today by Patrick DeWitt. I Think I’ll read that next.

This issue of the e-zine is all about summer and Allie, the main character in The Vinyl Princess, has a very cool summer job working at an indie music store in Berkley.  What were the best and worst jobs you had as a teen?

The best job I ever had as a teen was working in a record store at 16. It comes with a lot of instant cool and I learned at the elbow of some top-notch music geeks. The customers can be fun too.

At 14 I got a job clearing tables in a food court at the mall.  I can’t even begin to describe the level of disgust for the human race I acquired. Also, my hair smelled like hot dogs even after I washed it. I did make friends with the girl at the softee place and I got free soft serve ice cream all summer.

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

Reviewed by Michelle Delisle

It’s hard not to feel sorry for seventeen-year-old Alton Richards when his parents rope him into driving his cranky, blind, great-Uncle Lester to his bridge club four times a week - during summer vacation, no less. The reason his parents want Alton to do this:  Uncle Lester is rich.  Very rich.  What’s even worse is that Alton must be Uncle Lester's eyes during this old-fashioned game: The Cardturner.

While Alton’s “job” is a torture, mostly because of the way Uncle Lester treats him, at least parts of it are bearable.  Uncle Lester’s partners are really nice to him.  Once Alton begins to catch on to the game he finds it intriguing.  Besides, pretty Toni Casteneda, who preceded Alton in this job, is interesting to be around even if her family is after Uncle Lester’s fortune too.

As the summer wears on, Alton learns the game of bridge requires players to look beyond the surface, which extends to the way he perceives his uncle. Despite his blindness, not only is Uncle Lester quite insightful, but his life has been totally different than the family myths about him.

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar is a wholly original, very funny story that breaks so many rules of what should be interesting to teen readers. It's about bridge - a game for old people and not even parent old, more like grandparent old. I can assure you, the author makes the subject not only a good read, but you may even consider playing bridge because the book provides some "how to" tips as a bonus.

In his Newbery Award winning Holes, Mr. Sachar broke a few rules, too. And I, for one, hope that he continues to be his wonderful non-conformist self, writing about whatever subject or story moves him.

Nature Girl by Jane Kelly

Reviewed by Kerry O’Malley Cerra

Eleven-year-old Megan could care less that her best friend Lucy’s Mom is sick with cancer. After all, they said it's the "good kind" to get if you have to get any. Megan only cares that Lucy is going to spend the summer in Massachusetts with her own mom rather than Vermont with Megan like they had planned. And, Megan never wanted to go to Vermont to begin with. Lucy was the only reason it might have been bearable. Everyone knows that Vermont is full of lakes oozing with slime, trees by the bazillions, and bugs…lots and lots of bugs. On top of it, Megan’s parents have banned her from all things modern and have even imposed a mandatory three hours a day art time. Seriously.

After moping around for the first few weeks, Megan’s parents force her to get out of the farmhouse and go on a hike with her evil sister Ginia and Ginia’s boyfriend. Pure torture! When Megan interrupts a gross make-out session between her two hike-wardens, Ginia screams at Megan and tells her that Lucy never even wanted to come to Vermont to begin with because all Megan does it lie around and pout. Ginia’s words sting and Megan sprints off into the woods with her dog Arp.

Hours later, Megan knows she’s lost, but when she stumbles upon a couple on a hiking trail arguing over Oreos, she actually gets excited when they mention Mount Greylock. Yes, Mount Greylock, Massachusetts…where Lucy is spending her summer. Megan decides that she needs to talk to Lucy like immediately to make sure she’s not really mad as Ginia claims. I mean, how can she be mad? Megan never really did anything, did she? And so, the girl who hates all things nature sets off on a trek across the Appalachian Trail with her dog and a few things Mom had packed for her day-hike.

Along the way, Megan does her best to squelch the negative voice that constantly pops in her head saying that she’s lazy and can’t do anything right. She learns to fend for herself in nature, score food off of Trail Blaze Betty (who seems to be following her), triumphs over an encounter with a bear, rescues Arp when he falls into a crevice between some boulders, but most of all, she realizes she really hasn’t been a very good friend, daughter, or sister at all. With each new step on the trail, Nature Girl Megan gains confidence and her journey turns into a “Hodgkin’s Hike” in honor of her BFF’s mom. With plenty of chances to be rescued, Megan knows Trail Blaze Betty’s advice is right…the only way to fail is to quit, and she’s not about to do either.

Nature Girl is Jane Kelly’s debut novel. She’s created a story that will make you laugh-out-loud with Megan’s self-absorption, fall in love with the Appalachian Trail due to her vivid descriptions, and most of all, cheer for Megan as she inches closer to Mount Greylock with a new understanding of herself.

Ladybug Girl at the Beach by David Soman and  Jacky Davis

Reviewed by Jill MacKenzie

Ladybug Girl just knows she’s going to love everything about her first trip to the beach—the sun, the sand and the surf—it’s going to be the perfect day, thinks Lulu. But when she arrives at the shore with her family, Lulu’s not so sure that she wants to conquer her fear of the ocean just yet.  The waves are bigger, and louder and a whole lot scarier than she imagined they would be. And even Ladybug Girl, Lulu’s always braver alter ego, has to admit that staying on the beach and building a sandcastle with Bingo might be a lot less intimidating. But when one particularly big wave swipes Lulu’s sand pail, Ladybug girl decides she’s not going to let the sea’s ferocious grip get the best of her. It’s Ladybug Girl to the rescue!

Husband and wife team David Soman and Jacky Davis are triumphant in adding this gracefully written third book to the popular Ladybug Girl series. Ladybug Girl at the Beach is packed with sweet-natured main characters, punchy prose and fresh, colorful illustrations, even the youngest readers are sure to enjoy this little masterpiece that shows how any fear can be conquered with a little determination, a whole lot of guts, and maybe a little help from Ladybug Girl herself.

In case ya didn’t know…it’s summer! So what does that mean for you? Do you have a summer job? Do you spend your days at the beach? Maybe you have a summer job AT the beach. (Totally cool way to earn $ by the way) Do Mom and Dad ship you off to camp in the mountains? Maybe you spend your days at soccer camp, playing video games, listening to music or going to the movies. Whatever it is you do, we’re sure to have books on the subject.

Our All Things Summer issue is finally here. Check out the books we’ve featured because most of them will be used as our contest giveaways this month. Here’s how to win.

Post the answer to the following question either on our Facebook wall, or in an email to contests@whatchareadingnow.com

What’s your all time fav book and what song would you pick as its theme?

For example, my daughter Kylie totally loves THE HUNGER GAMES and the first time she heard Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson, Kylie told me how perfect that song was for the book.

Get it? So post away peeps. You could win one of these totally fab books: INDIGO BLUES by Danielle Joseph, VINYL PRINCESS by Yvonne Prinz, THE CARDTURNER by Louis Sachar, NATURE GIRL by Jane Kelley, LADYBUG AT THE BEACH by David Soman and Jacky Davis, TORTILLA SUN by Jennifer Cervantes, MUDVILLE by Kurtis Scaletta, and LOVE AND POLLYWOGS FROM CAMP CALAMITY by Mary Hershey.

By Marjetta Geerling

Ah, summer, the season of time. Time to finally do all the things I never get to during the busy school year. Friend time. Play time. Travel time. Time to finally read what I want to, not what I have to.

This summer, I have a list. A real list, not just the usual scraps of paper stuffed into my journal with partial titles and author’s names misspelled that I collect year long. Books I’ve been meaning to read, books I’ve heard great things about, books by people I know, they’re all on my list. More importantly, they’re also stacked in a pile on my desk, waiting to be read, and I can’t wait to get to them. 

How Books Got on The List

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
So many people have recommended this book to me. Why haven’t I read it yet? I don’t know. It goes on the list.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Loved her other books and heard this one was a wild ride. Looking forward to the promised craziness.

After by Amy Efaw
Love the cover. Shallow, I know, but there it is. I judged a book by its cover.

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulbert
I met the author and she was so much fun, it made me want to read her book.

Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill
Someone read the first page to me and I was hooked.

Paper Towns by John Green
A friend gave me this book for Christmas. It’s been sitting in my bedroom for half a year. I will read it. I will.

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
Just finished this one a few days ago. Incredible read. I highly recommend it.

Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron
The author is a musician himself. I heard him speak and thought, dude, we could be friends. But that would be creepy to tell him, so I got his book instead.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
A bookseller in Houston gave a great pitch to me about this book, but I didn’t buy it at the time. I regretted it for a while, then it won the Newberry and I thought, man, I really should’ve bought that book.

Leviathan (Leviathan (Quality))by Scott Westerfeld
I loved Uglies, because I love any dystopian really, and then my husband read Leviathan and said it had elements of steam punk. Sold. Then my husband returned the book to the library before I could read it. Sad. But I got it back and I’m reading it now.

So make your own list (or feel free to borrow mine) and get busy this summer. Remember, summer reading is all about you and what you love. Enjoy.

By Josh Berk

This is THE place to read the views of readers so enthusiastic  about books for kids and teens that they’ve made it their career.  Each month, WRN? features  articles by authors, editors, agents, librarians and booksellers. 

This month’s contributor is Josh Berk, librarian and author of the popular teen novel The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin.  You can find out more about Josh at his site www.joshberkbooks.com.   

SUMMER READING: YOUTH BASEBALL BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY JOSH BERK

Technically we were Jews, but the real religions in the house I grew up in were books and baseball. With two librarian parents, it's not surprising that I grew up to be writer/librarian myself. No surprise I'm also a baseball fan. Also, it is not surprising that I did not grow up to be a baseball star, given that (1) I once went so long without making contact at the plate that I literally wept with joy after achieving a foul tip and (2) my nickname in the field was "E6." (Note: these things are funny if you're a baseball fan. If you're not, just know that I stunk and we won't say any more about that.) 

Anyway, these two great joys of mine come together perfectly. There are many books about many sports of course, but I believe that the literary legacy of baseball is unique for whatever reason. Baseball books are the perfect summer read for all ages and there is pretty much no baseball book I won't read. (I'm currently reading a book from the adult non-fiction section that is 416 pages long and is about one game.) But here I'll just highlight a few of my personal favorite baseball books for youth. Each one is a hit. A home run even. An out-of-the park grand slam. I'll stop now.

1. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane (ages 9-12) - The title refers to the fact that the knuckleball (the baseball pitch) floats like a butterfly. The storyline, as you might have guessed, is about a girl who throws the knuckler. But there's so much more to it -- it's about loss and love and family and friendship. It's without a doubt the type of book for kids that adults would love. I didn't want it to end.

2. Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta (ages 9-12) The perfect book for a rainy summer day! In fact, if it happens to rain in your town for 22 years straight, boy have I got the book for you! Mudville has a fantastic premise -- it does in fact rain in Moundville for 22 years, delaying an important baseball game until the next generation. When the skies finally break, it's time to play ball, and it's a magical, wonderful tale.

3. The Longest Season by Cal Ripken, Jr. (picture book, Ages 4-8) I really love that of all the accomplishments in his baseball career, Cal decided to write about the epic 21-game losing streak he was part of as a member of the 1988 Orioles. This book is touching and I think the lessons Cal learns are great for any kid. Inspiring and touching. You might even cry. Not that I did. SHUT UP. It was allergies.

4. Shakespeare Bats Cleanup by Ron Koertge (grades 6-9) I think Koertge is a vastly underrated YA author. He was one of the first who really drew me to the genre anyway. So of course I love his baseball book! It tells the story of Kevin, a teenager who gets mono and misses the baseball season. His father is a writer so Kevin ends up with a book about poetry which he ends up getting interested in. In fact, the book is told in verse. As Kevin learns about a new type of poem, he tries one, writing sonnets and haiku about (what else?) baseball. And also girls.

5.  Baseball Hour by Carol Nevius (Author), Bill Thomson (Illustrator) (ages 4-8). This is my son's favorite baseball book! And he's three. Actually he's loved this book since he was barely two. Yes, this is my bragging about how advanced my son is (because the recommended ages are 4-8). Anyway, the art is absolutely beautiful and I haven't gotten tired of reading it, despite having read it 900 times.  Play ball!

Looking for more books about summer? Click here to see WRN?’s suggestions for Teens, Kids, and Picture Books. We’re sure you’ll find something else to love our on lists.

Do you have a favorite we’ve left off the list? Send us an email and let us know, we’ll be glad to add your picks to our recommendations.

Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes

Reviewed by Kristina Miranda

The only thing twelve-year old Izzy knows about her father is that he died before she was born. Moving from place to place with her mother in San Diego, Izzy yearns to finally settle down. While unpacking yet another box, Izzy finds an old baseball with some hand-written words on it, and suspects it belonged to her father. Her mother refuses to talk about it, and sends Izzy to spend the summer in a small pueblo in New Mexico with her grandmother. Izzy secretly brings the baseball with her, determined to find the meaning of the words and finally learn the story she has always longed to hear.

Arriving in New Mexico, Izzy is struck by the beauty and the color in her grandmother’s world. Fiestas, homemade tortillas, family and friends, envelop Izzy in a new world of magic. In the pueblo she meets people who knew her father, and makes friends with a boy named Mateo, and a cat who thinks she’s a dog. It is there that Izzy hears the wind whisper secrets, leading her on an adventure of discovery. Will she finally learn the meaning of the words on her father’s baseball and hear the tale that could help fill in the missing pieces?

Tortilla Sun is the story of one summer that changes a girl’s life forever. It is a heart-warming tale of family, friendship, and magic. Jennifer Cervantes has beautifully described a world of sweet-smelling Mexican dishes, colorful surroundings, and a vibrant Hispanic culture.

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Reviewed by Chin Lin Pan

In Maureen Johnson's comical and spirited YA novel, Suite Scarlett, readers are sure to be sucked into a city that never sleeps and checked into the fictional Hopewell Hotel.

When Scarlett, our 15-year-old protagonist, takes charge of the Empire Suite of her family's hotel, her summer has only just begun. Shortly after, she also gets Mrs. Amy Amberson, a permanent guest and former actress whose eccentricity and enthusiasm oozes out of her every pore, who assigns Scarlett the nickname of "O'Hara" and sends her on numerous errands that make her question things about this woman. Scarlett is solemn that her summer will suck the life out of her, while all of her friends are off in foreign countries and having adventures of their lifetimes. That is, until she meets her big brother Spencer's co-actor friend Eric, who just moved to the city from the South. Eric is the epitome of chivalry and manners that some cynics would say have gone obsolete.

Spencer and Eric are acting in a comical version of Hamlet, of when Mrs. Amberson gets involved, unable to keep her delightful nose out of the production, which in turn allows Scarlett all the available time to be around Eric, for a helpful asset and as a cheerleader to support the cast and crew. However, things are not always as they seem. Will this summer turn out to be a blast or a bummer?

Suite Scarlett is a real treasure, with its detailed descriptions and its summer setting of New York City. It is as if I am there with Scarlett, as she learns from her romantic mistakes and grows as a person. Scarlett's summer certainly had an influence on her life, due to her family continually being poor (and still managing to care for the hotel), her job helping out Mrs. Amberson, her growing relationship with Spencer and her undeniable attraction to Eric.

Maureen Johnson is one of my favorite young adult authors, and this is one of her best books yet. The sequel, Scarlett Fever, was recently released, and I cannot wait to return to the world that is New York City and indulge in another one of Scarlett's whimsical adventures.