Tourists' Guide to Deepest, Darkest Delaware

To go along with his latest book in the Pals in Peril series, Agent Q, or, The Smell of Danger, the intrepid M.T. Anderson has created his wacky "Tourists' Guide to Deepest, Darkest Delaware."  Once you've read these books, you'll have to convince your parents to venture to this wild, beautiful place.

Little Red Riding Hood, Reinvented

Vivian Vande Velde is no stranger to folktales.  Nor does she hesitate to write what she thinks.  So when she cited "Little Red Riding Hood" as "the perfect example of the exact opposite of a good story," it raised my eyebrows.  Not content to leave it at that, Vande Velde created Cloaked in Red, a collection of eight new tellings of "Little Red Riding Hood."  I don't know if Vande Velde's tellings will be as universal as the original(s), but they certainly are unique.  Like she did earlier in The Rumplestiltskin Problem, Vande Velde honors the folktale by creating so many great spoofs of it.

The Ghostwriter Secret 

by Mac Barnett; illustrations by Adam Rex

Chums Mac Barnett and Adam Rex have done it again! The Ghostwriter Secret, the second in the Brixton Brothers action/detective series, is out, and it is totally ace. This time, instead of being mistaken for a private investigator, Steve Brixton is hired as one – twice. Who has tried to steal the Nichols diamond? And what has happened to MacArthur Bart, author of the Bailey Brothers detective series? And how can you tell the difference between a cherry and a strawberry Jolly Rancher before you get the horrible taste of cherry stuck in your mouth? Steve and his friend Dana tackle these and many other of life's mysteries in this action-packed comedy.

The Necromancer by Michael Scott

Quick -- think of a major figure, hero(ine) or villain, from history. Chances are good that Michael Scott has a place reserved for them in his Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. From Billy the Kid to Quetzalcoatl to Joan of Arc, they're all here, and they all seem to believe that teenage twins Josh and Sophie are the key to the future of the world. If it all seems a little improbable, that's because it is. But Scott keeps the action going at a great pace, with explanations along the way as events get more confusing. This is obviously not the end of the series, but it would be nice to see an ending to the book that doesn't just lead to an obvious next chapter. One bit of trivia: you can read about John Dee, Elizabethan man of science and astrology (and possibly espionage), in both this book and Maria Rutkoski's Celestial Globe. What fun!

Poop Happened: A History of the World From the Bottom Up
by Sarah Albee

What an inspired and inspiring read! From early history to modern times, Albee introduces us to customs, occupational hazards, and heroes related to how humans have dealt with our own wastes. Anyone choosing a career path would do well to aquaint him or herself with the terms "gongfermor," "fuller," and many others in this wonderful book. Then make sure you don't become one of those! This is definitely the number one book on number two!

Trackers: Book One by Patrick Carman



Adam Henderson is a computer genius. At 5, he took apart circuit boards the way other kids play with Legos. At 9, he had made a virtual fortune from online games, spending his money to design new surveillance cameras and firewalls. When he reaches middle school, Adam finds a crew of like-minded friends, and they stumble into tracking. Not tracking animals, but tracking criminals. Little do they know where it will take them.
This first book in a projected series, set in Seattle, tries to link interviews with video and other websites, but I found reading the book straight through to be more entertaining and less distracting. All of the content from the weblinks can also be found at the end of the book in appendices. This is an exciting start to the series; let's hope Carman will focus on the story in the book and leave off the attempt to draw people away from the book.

Alex van Helsing: Vampire Rising by Jason Henderson

With the abundance of vampire literature flying around these days, it's good to know that Alex van Helsing has us covered. Although he's never known it, Alex has learned all of the necessary skills to begin his life's work: hunting vampires. Landing at an exclusive boarding school on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, Alex wakes nightly to glowing eyes that watch him. After thinking, "This doesn't happen," and dispensing with a couple of these creatures of the night, Alex learns a much bigger secret -- his family has for generations fought the undead. It's a lot to keep up with, and still get your English literature homework done. Luckily, his English literature teacher also happens to hunt vampires as well, so all's good. This is a quick, action-filled romp through the Swiss countryside on nights when one would be safer at home, reading a book like this.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

Is Origami Yoda for real? Well, of course, he's for real. He's a paper finger puppet that seems to live on Dwight's finger. All the time. But when Dwight speaks in his horrid Yoda voice to answer questions his classmates ask Origami Yoda, the answers seem, well, amazing. Could Origami Yoda really be using the Force to calm sixth-graders' deepest fears, or is this just another of Dwight's many oddball stunts? Tommy and his classmates have created a case file to uncover the truth.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins


Katniss Everdeen is a survivor. But after being rescued from the Quarter Quell, she can hardly face everything that she has lost: Peeta, her ally, friend, and lover (?) from District 12, was not rescued by the rebels from District 13; District 12, Katniss' home, has been bombed to rubble by the Capitol; and almost everyone she loves has been damaged in some way. Still, she is the face of the rebellion against the Capitol; she is the Mockingjay. This third and final volume in the Hunger Games trilogy continues where Catching Fire left off, with Katniss reeling from the shock of the last words of that book. Readers who have eagerly awaited this book will find plenty to love here.