I'm glad there will be a collection of short stories coming out, because I'm not ready to leave this world yet.

This is a beautiful story of magical realism. I unintentionally gobbled it up in an evening. I love Luna as a character: full of fire and love for her home and her family in a place that is "cursed." If you drink the water it makes you sick. One day her sister Willow accidentally drinks the water, and Luna sets off to figure out a way to save her. Chapters of Luna's story alternate with a story of sprites getting ready to leave this world for a place that humans have not ruined.

So good! Montgomery's affection for octopuses is contagious. Even I, who was scared of the sting rays at the Mall of America aquarium, wanted to touch one.

I liked this one a lot. It is a beautiful blend of Frankenstein and fairy tales. I enjoyed that the book dealt with issues of atonement, secrets and the cost of blind obedience. Kymera is plucky and a narrator to root for. I'll admit that I wish the ending had been different, although it fits. I am interested in reading book 2, Ravenous, when it comes out.

A powerful graphic novel about one person's experience being a child soldier. One day Michel stays too late at school and is kidnapped into the army. He is given cocaine, and forced to do a horrible deed almost right from the start. He eventually finds the strength to escape, and to forgive himself for what happened at that time. The back matter discusses the problems survivors face when trying to go back to their own community.

I would say it's definitely appropriate for 4th-5th graders, as most violence happens off-page.

I think I would have enjoyed this book more had I read it before reading "The Soul of an Octopus." Montgomery's affection for these animals comes across so strongly in that book, and I didn't get quite the same feel in this one. It's not to say this book isn't excellent, or worthy of consideration. When I finished "Soul of an Octopus," I wanted to go out and find one and have its suckers on my arms, despite screaming at the touch of a stingray in aquariums before. I didn't have the same reaction here.
The pictures are gorgeous, although I would have appreciated captions on every photo. Still, it's a worthy entry in the "Scientists in the Field" series. If you're able, I would recommend the adult title over this one.

An interesting start to a new series. Lilith (or Lil) has been selected to go to a future leaders conference. It is located on the island of Crete, and she hopes it might lead to some answers about her recently deceased mother. A series of challenges lead her into the Labyrinth and the secrets of her mother's past.

There are four friends in this story, hailing from three countries and each with different strengths. There are, of course, bad guys, and they are somewhat easily overcome. I wish the story had a bit more of a cliffhanger at the end.

This is a 3.5 star book for me. Ella and Maddie are twins, and although they were very close growing up, they've grown apart since middle school, when Maddie chose the popular life and Ella stayed with her art group. One night, when Ella is rescuing Maddie from popular shenanigans, they get into an accident which causes one twin to survive without knowing which one she is. When Ella realizes that she identified herself as the wrong twin, she chooses to try to keep up the facade in honor of her dead sister.

I found the extent to which Ella kept up the charade a bit unbelievable, or at least, I think I would have said something sooner. Still, Leaver's writing kept the pages turning. A great read for middle/high school.

I'm not an Almond superfan yet, but this mystical, poetic look at the Orpheus/Eurydice myth had me captivated. This story is told from Clare's perspective, who loves Ella Grey. Ella Grey meets Orpheus and it is love at first sight (or first listen). The way Almond describes the details of everyone's encounters, even just the description of a fire on the beach, is beautiful. It also tells the whole myth, complete to the way Orpheus ends. I would recommend it for high school readers, as I think it's better read with at least a basic understanding of the myth, and there is underage drinking, as well as sexual activity.