Raven's Gate

Raven's Gate, by Anthony Horowitz
ISBN: 0439680093
Published: 2008 (Scholastic)

Review/Summary: Raven's Gate is the first in a series about The Old Ones and The Gatekeepers.  Horowitz already had a reputation for creating thrilling adventures for younger audiences, thanks to his Alex Rider series.  The Gatekeepers series has many similarities to the Alex Rider series: Matt, the main character in Raven's Gate, is also 14 years old; both boys were orphaned; both boys are suddenly responsible for saving the world from disaster, even though all they want is "a normal life."  But while Alex is enlisted by MI-5, Matt is put to work by a fictional group called The Nexus.  This international group of adults exists only to protect the world from The Old Ones--an ancient evil that was captured and banished from the world thousands of years ago.  Five children tricked the Old Ones into leaving the world.  They then created a gate that would be locked, trapping the Old Ones forever.  But a group of people outside York wants to reopen the gate and let evil back into the world.  The Nexus tries to help Matt defeat the Old Ones.  Since this is a series, it's pretty obvious that the adventure doesn't end here.  But, as with Alex Rider, Horowitz does a great job of keeping readers interested in Matt and eager to know what happens next.  Horowitz is excellent at convincing audiences to suspend their disbelief and just go with the flow.  I'd recommend this series for readers who like Alex Rider, who like creepy adventure stories, and who like darker fantasy.  Anyone 10 and older.

Weetzie Bat

Weetzie Bat, by Francesca Lia Block
ISBN: 0060736259
Publisher: HarperTeen

Weetzie hates high school until she becomes best friends with Dirk.  The two of them find magic in every day Los Angeles, and spend their nights seeing bands and looking for true love.  Eventually they both find the men of their dreams.  Weetize and Dirk have to learn how to meld their idealism with the realities of growing up.

Whip It

Whip It (DVD)
Studio: 20th Century Fox, 2010

The film focuses on Bliss Cavendar, a 17-year-old high-school student who lacks direction. Her mother "forces" her to do beauty pageants, since she loved doing beauty pageants when she was younger. Bliss, though, feels out of place in that world. In one of the film's first scenes, Bliss shows up on the pageant stage with blue hair. But while she wants to rebel against her mother's world, Bliss doesn't know where she belongs. ...Until she discovers roller derby.


From here, the film takes off on its predictable but entertaining ride. Bliss tries out for The Girl Scouts roller derby team and makes it, even though she hasn't skated in years and she isn't 21 (the required age for derby girls). She's renamed Babe Ruthless, and becomes the super-fast poster child of Texas Roller Derby. She meets a boy, starts fighting with her best friend, and must come to terms with her parents' needs and wants, as well as her own desires.

Amulet: The Stonekeeper (book 1)

Amulet: The Stonekeeper, by Kazu Kibuishi
ISBN: 9780439846813
Publisher: Graphix, 2008

The book starts with a tragic accident.  Emily feels helpless to save a loved one, and she doesn't know how to deal with loss.  When she moves to "the middle of nowhere" with her mom and her brother, Navin, Emily appears detached and angry.  But her curiosity grows as she and Navin discover their great-grandfather's workshop and a mysterious red amulet.  The family has only been in their new house one night when a ghostly monster and a tentacled creature capture Emily's mother.  Em and Navin must rely on the new amulet to guide them as they chase after the monster to save their mother.  Amulet is told in graphic novel format, filled with beautiful pictures by Kazu Kibuishi.  The story is perfect for younger tweens and those just getting into graphic novels.

Tanglewreck

Tanglewreck, by Jeanette Winterson
ISBN: 1599900815
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 2007

A scientist and an alchemist are both in search of the Timekeeper—a sort of magical clock that controls time. When the alchemist, Able Darkwater, decides his ward Silver knows the Timekeeper’s location, he kidnaps her, hoping to wrest the information from her memory. With the help of a boy named Gabriel, Silver escapes Darkwater’s house and goes in search of the Timekeeper. Silver must protect the Timekeeper in order to keep the world from falling apart.  Along with this main plot, Winterson includes various adventures like a disappearing school bus, woolly mammoths in the park, and dangerous time tornadoes.

Green Angel

Green Angel, by Alice Hoffman
ISBN: 0545204119
Publisher: Scholastic, 2010

Green, a shy 15-year-old girl, lives in a village with her mother, her father, and her perfect sister Aurora. They grow vegetables and sell them in the city. One day, when her family goes to the city, Green must stay behind to tend the garden and the house. On that day, of all days, disaster strikes the city. The buildings burn. The people burn. The vegetables burn. Green's family burns. "Green Angel" follows her transformation from Green to Ash--a tough-shelled, tattooed girl with cropped hair. While learning to protect herself, she also seems to lose herself.

The Book of Three

The Book of Three, by Lloyd Alexander
ISBN: 0805080481
Publisher: Henry Holt, 2006

Taran lives in Prydain, working as an assistant pig-keeper.  The land is threatened by The Horned King, but Taran is too young to fight.  In fact, Taran is too young to even learn to fight.  Still, he dreams of fighting, saving the land and earning glory.  Taran dreams of adventure, but is surprised when it finds him.  Unforseen circumstances put Taran on the battlefield, and he must do his best to save Prydain from the Horn King.  An oracle pig, a troubador, and a sarcastic princess help Taran on his journey.  The Book of Three is an excellent choice for readers who need something to read after Lord of the Rings, or for readers who find Tolkien's work too advanced.

Holes

Holes, by Louis Sachar
ISBN: 0440414806
Publisher: Yearling, 2000

When Stanley Yelnats got into trouble, he was given a choice. "The judge said, "You may go to jail, or you may go to Camp Green Lake." Stanley was from a poor family. He had never been to camp before" (5). But as Stanley discovers, there is no lake at Camp Green Lake. There's no fun, either. A bunch of juvenile delinquents must dig holes in the dirt, under the hot sun, every day of their sentence. And then Stanley discovers that they're digging holes for a reason: they're looking for something; something old and very important. And then Stanley gets into trouble. And then Stanley runs away from camp. And then the reader learns the secrets behind Camp Green Lake...

Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo
ISBN: 0763644323
Publisher: Candlewick, 2009

Opal moves to a new town with her father when he takes the position of preacher at the Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi in Florida.  They live together in a trailer as family, best-friends, and strangers.  Opal's mother abandoned them, and Opal's father refuses to talk about it.  Her ghost creates a kind of barrier between Opal and her father.  But one day, Opal finds the cure to all her problems: a dog, who she names Winn-Dixie.  The dog has an amazing talent for smiling with his teeth.  He also has an unnerving habit of getting into trouble, and turning that trouble into a blessing.  As 10-year-old Opal and Winn-Dixie explore their new life together, they learn about the past and make new friends in their present.

Marley: A Dog Like No Other

Marley: A Dog Like No Other, by John Grogan
ISBN: 0061240338
Publisher: Collins, 2007

When John Grogan and his wife decide to get a dog, they make the mistake of adopting a yellow Labrador puppy.  Christened Marley, the dog proceeds to tear apart their lives, physically and metaphorically.  At a dog training class, Marley wreaks havoc on the other dogs, the owners, the trainer, and his master.  He completely embarrasses his owners at the dog beach.  And when John buys his wife a gold necklace, Marley immediately eats it.  This book tells Marley's story, from birth to death, and all the mischief in between.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille (DVD)
Studio: Disney/Pixar, 2007

A rat named Remy falls in love with food. He can't understand why his family and friends are okay with eating garbage. Because he can read, he learns about food through the book, Everyone Can Cook. When his colony is destroyed, Remy ends up at a restaurant in Paris. He's happy to watch through the skylight as the chefs create amazing dishes. But when he sees the new garbage boy trying to fix a soup--and realizes he's destroying it--Remy enters the kitchen and puts his skills to the test.  This begins a partnership between the boy, Linguine, and Remy. The rat has skills while Linguine has the ability to "appear human." Remy's talent puts Linguine in the spotlight, leading to all kinds of crazy situations. The garbage boy and the rat suddenly become highly important in the Paris food scene.  Fame also bring reporters and investigators, though, and the secret is on the verge of being revealed.  How will Paris react when they discover their new star chef is a rat?

Watership Down

Watership Down, by Richard Adams
ISBN: 068483605X
Publisher: Scriber, 1996

Sandleford Warren is home to a well-ordered, content band of rabbits. But when one of them has a vision of impending danger, they flee to find safety elsewhere. Watership Down follows this group of rabbits across the countryside as they face countless obstacles, such as cars and wild animals. Richard Adams creates a truly believable rabbit society, filled with social order, history and folktales.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
ISBN: 0440412676
Publisher: Yearling, 1996

Billy lives in Ozark country with his parents and three little sisters.  He catches fish and traps skunks and wanders in the river.  But this is perfect hunting land, and Billy feels his life will be incomplete without a pair of hunting dogs.  A pair of red hounds is $50--more money than his family can afford.  Despite his whining and begging, his parents can't buy Billy his dogs.  Determined, Billy saves up for two years until finally reaching $50.  With help from his grandpa, Billy sends away for two red hound pups.  Where the Red Fern Grows follows Billy and his hunting adventures with Old Dan and Little Ann, his pair of hunting dogs.  People have low expectations for a 12-year-old boy and two puppies, and Billy easily surprises everyone with his determination and his dogs' smarts.

Wallce and Gromit

Wallace and Gromit: The complete collection, DVD
Studio: Lionsgate, 2009

Wallace and his dog Gromit star in these four short films.  The inventive duo are involved in different schemes in each movie: bread baking, sheep shearing, dog-walking trousers, and collecting cheese on the moon.  Wallace is a genius with machines, but always gets into trouble in the real world.  Gromit takes on the difficult task of looking after Wallace.  In The Wrong Trousers, Gromit has to save Wallace's inventions from a theiving penguin.  Gromit saves hundreds of sheep in A Close Shave.  Every story in this disc is humorous, witty, and always a pleasure to watch.

Up

Up, DVD
Studio: Disney/Pixar, 2009

At 78-years-old, Carl finds himself widowed and angry at the world.  He has amazing memories of his childhood and marriage with Ellie, his years as a balloon seller, and the dreams of adventure he shared with his wife.  Without Ellie, Carl seems lost.  When the city threatens to force him into Shady Oaks Retirement Home, Carl hatches a plan to get to Paradise Falls in South America--the destination he and Ellie always dreamt of visiting together.  The accidental inclusion of Russell, a Wilderness Explorer Scout, is the first flaw in Carl's plan.  The appearance of a talking dog is the second.  Up becomes a rolicking adventure overflowing with talking animals, crazy hunters, chocolate, and self-discovery.

Mythbusters

Mythbusters, DVD
Studio: Discovery, 2008

At some point, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman wondered, "Are all those urban legends true?" and decided to find out.  Using scientific methods and their experience working on special effects team, Adam and Jamie do their best to test various myths.  Are you more likely to get struck by lightning if you have a tongue piercing?  Will you really fail a drug test after eating poppy seeds on your bagel?  Adam, Jamie and the rest of the Mythbusters crew test and confirm/debunk various urban legends on this fantastic Discovery show.

The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia, by CS Lewis
ISBN: 2725600782
Published by Collier Books, 1976

This is a series filled with magic, adventures and unlikely heroes.  In The Magician's Nephew, Digory and his friend Polly wind up in The Wood between Worlds.  What follows is the creation of Narnia--the world that takes center stage throughout this series.  Digory and Polly must defeat the evil Queen Jadis, who also torments the world in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.  CS Lewis weaves characters throughout his series, bringing familiar faces and places to his readers time and time again.  The series is acknolweged as being a Christian allegory.  While this is true, the series is also a fantastic adventure story filled with lessons about good and evil, dynamic characters like Tumnus the Faun, and vivid settings like Cair Paravel.

Hoot

Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen
ISBN: 1905775040
Publisher: Alfred A Knopf, 2002

After Roy moves to Florida with his family, he decides it's much less interesting than Montana. But then he spots the running boy. The stranger sprints crazily along the sidewalk, through backyards and into the woods--all without shoes on. To make it even weirder, he doesn't appear to attend school. By following this mystery, Roy stumbles across another discovery: tiny, perfect burrowing owls. Unfortunately, the tiny birds are about to be bulldozed by the construction crew who's putting up Mother Paula's Pancake House. Together with the running boy, Roy tries desperately to save the owls from their terrible fate.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter books 1-7, by JK Rowling
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine
Year: 2007

Harry spent his childhood unwanted, adopted by his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon after the death of Harry's parents.  Harry was given his cousin's hand-me-downs, and his bedroom was actually the cupboard under the stairs.  On his 11th birthday, though, Harry was told the truth: he was a wizard!  Against his aunt and uncle's wishes, Harry transferred to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he would learn the history of magic, as well as charms and spells.  Harry also learned that his parents were killed by a dark wizard called Lord Voldemort.  After years of torturing the wizarding world, Voldemort was destroyed when he tried to kill Harry.  Not only did Harry learn that he was a wizard; he was a famous wizard, credited with saving the world.  But Voldemort was not completely killed.  Harry begins seeing hints of the evil wizard and his followers as soon as he enters Hogwarts.  By the end of this series, Voldemort has regained a foothold in the world, and Harry must try to defeat him all over again.

Little Brother

Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow
ISBN: 0765319853
Publisher: Tor Teen, 2008

What would happen if the United States became a police state? What if the government used your transit pass to track all of your movements, then took you in for questioning if you deviated your behavior? According to Cory Doctorow, most Americans would be slow to take offense, and therefore slow to react. In Little Brother, most Americans wait until it’s nearly too late. If not for Marcus, aka M1k3y, the country might never recover. After a nuclear attack nearly destroys San Francisco, Marcus takes his skills online, hacking and posting and viewing and encouraging others to do the same. With the guidance of this teenage hacker, the United States might stand a chance of protecting itself…from its own leaders…

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender (DVD)
by Nickelodeon & Paramount Home Studios
2006

Katara and her brother Sokka are out on the river, testing Katara's waterbending abilities, when they come across a giant iceberg.  Inadvertenly, they break the iceberg open and find a boy inside.  He turns out to be Aang, the next Avatar--a master of all the elements.  Aang has been frozen for 100 years and is unaware of the war that's broken out across the world.  The Avatar had many responsibilities in the past; but now, he's the only hope for salvation.  People from the Earth and Water Nations are hoping the Avatar will return and stop the war with the Fire Nation, ultimately bringing peace to the world.  Though Aang is technically over 100 years old, he was frozen at the age of 12--and he still feels like a 12-year-old.  Katara and Sokka must help Aang master all the elements so he can confront the Fire Nation and bring balance back to the planet.

The Sarah Jane Adventures

The Sarah Jane Adventures
Format: DVD
BBC America, 2008

When Sarah Jane was a teenager, she traveled through time and space with a man called The Doctor.  Although he looked human, he was truly a Time Lord--a master of time and space from a planet called Galifrey.  Three decades later, back on Earth, Sarah Jane lives in London and fights aliens on her own.  She has a stash of alien gadgets left over from The Doctor or found during her adventures.  For years, Sarah Jane has fought alien threats by herself, or with the help of her gadgets and her dog K-9.  But when she starts investigating a soda factory, Sarah Jane finds much more than aliens: she finds a companion in her neighbor Maria, and winds up with an adopted son, Luke.  With the help of Maria, Luke, and their friend Clyde, Sarah Jane spends the next few months learning to fight aliens with assistance.  The four of them form a team, ready to tackle anything that comes their way.

The Secret Science Alliance

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook, by Eleanor Davis
ISBN: 1599903962
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 2009

Julian gets a second chance when he moves to a new school. No longer will he have to be Brainiac or Geek or Super Nerd! He tries really hard to be "normal" on his first few days, hoping to avoid getting stuffed into lockers or teased for being smart. But when he lets his guard down and begins babbling about aerodynamics during science class, the truth is revealed. Luckily for Julian, this turns out to be a good thing. Ben, whom Julian had written off as "dumb jock," and Greta, who seemed to be a scary troublemaker, recruit Julian into their science club. The three of them rename themselves The Secret Science Alliance and spend the whole school year creating new gadgets, gizmos and scientific pranks. But when a thieving scientist steals their invention notebook, The Secret Science Alliance must get serious. How do they stop the perpetrator from putting their projects to evil uses? Can Julian stop a crime, or just create witty "Kick Me" signs? Their skills get put to the test in this brilliant graphic novel.

Alex Rider: Stormbreaker

Stormbreaker (Alex Rider #1), by Anthony Horowitz
ISBN: 0142406112
Publisher: Puffin, 2006

In the middle of the night, the doorbell rings. Instinctively, Alex knows it will be the police (after all, who else rings the doorbell so late?). He also knows it will be bad news, and isn’t too shocked when the police announce that his uncle, Ian Rider, died in an automobile accident. Only when Alex begins prying for more details do things begin to seem fishy. Why was his uncle not wearing his seatbelt that night? He always wore a seatbelt. After Alex finds bullet holes in his uncle’s car, he is kidnapped by MI-6, the Special Operations unit of Britain’s intelligence agency. They confess that Ian Rider worked for MI-6, and was assassinated during a mission. But then they announce that the only person who can complete Ian’s work is Alex himself! Although Alex is only fourteen, he goes through a whirlwind training session and sets off to save his country from a dangerous, secret plot.

City of Ember

The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau
ISBN: 0385736282
Publisher: Yearling, 2008

Lina and Doon live in a city called Ember, which survives as an island in the darkness.  The people of Ember have never had contact with anyone outside the city.  As far as they know, they are the only people in the world.  Anyone reaching the edge of Ember will find themselves staring into darkness; anyone who goes into that darkness disappears or returns completely mad.  Lina and Doon, like all 12-year-olds, get their job assignments when they graduate from school.  Unlike other 12-year-olds, Lina and Doon use their new responsibilities--their access codes and contacts--to decipher a letter from Ember's founders.  Ember is dying.  It relies on a generator for all its power.  If the generator goes out, the whole city will be buried in darkness.  If Lina and Doon can uncover the founders' message, perhaps they can save their city from its fate.

Ender's Game

Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
ISBN: 0312932081
Published by Tor, 1991

After the Earth was attacked by Formics (aka "the Buggers"), a global government was formed.  One branch ruled Earth-based affairs while another governed the situation in space.  The government's pet project, though, was Battle School, where kids were trained in the art of war.  Ideally, these kids would grow up to be military geniuses, ready to defeat the Formics for good when they attacked again.  Andrew Wiggin, called Ender, was one of these kids.  Ender's Game tells the story of his journey from Earth to Battle School, and his experience waging war against aliens.

Wall-E

Wall-E (DVD)
Studio: Disney/Pixar, 2008

Sometime in the near future, human beings realize the extent of their environmental damage and decide to flee the Earth.  They leave a fleet of robots behind to clean up the planet.  The idea is that humans will live on a spaceship called Axiom while robots make Earth inhabitable again.  700 years later, Wall-E is the last of his kind.  He cleans, collects human artifacts, and takes care of his pet cockroach.  The days all run together until the arrival of EVE, a robot probe tasked to find life on the planet.  EVE discovers a small green plant and immediately returns to the Axiom (due to protocol).  Wall-E, desperately in love with EVE, follows along.  A strange situation arises when the humans discover the green plant, the ship's computer discovers the green plant, and Wall-E and EVE learn the green plant's fate.  This is a story of love, bravery, adventure, and environmentalism.

Redwall

Redwall, by Brian Jacques
ISBN: 0142302376
Publisher: Puffin/Philomel, 2002

Redwall is a peaceful abbey in the heart of Mossflower Wood.  The buildings and grounds are home to hundreds of mice, squirrels, otters, badgers, and moles.  But the shining walls, the food and supplies occasionally bring enemy attacks.  In this story (the first of a long series), Cluny the Scourge and his hoarde of rats decide to conquer Redwall for themselves.  Redwall was built by a warrior named Martin, but most creatures who live there have never handled a weapon or experienced a fight.  A young mouse, Matthias, must find Martin's sword in order to defeat the enemy.  Matthias' courage and determination are the only things standing in Cluny's way.