Acceleration
by Graham McNamee
Published 2003 by Wendy Lamb Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780385731195

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Jacket Notes:

- McNamee demonstrates his breadth of talent with this edgy thriller. The fast-moving and sometimes disturbing story will keep readers riveted.- Good for older readers looking for nonstop action and a mature read.- McNamee's first book for teens, Hate You, was an ALA Best Book and Quick Pick, was nominated for the Governor General's Award in Canada, and in translation, won the Austrian Prize for Children's Literature. It' s a hot, hot summer, and in the depths of the Toronto Transit Authority' s Lost and Found, 17-year-old Duncan is cataloging lost things and sifting through accumulated junk. And between Jacob, the cranky old man who runs the place, and the endless dusty boxes overflowing with stuff no one will ever claim, Duncan' s just about had enough. Then he finds a little leather book. It' s a diary filled with the dark and dirty secrets of a twisted mind, a serial killer stalking his prey in the subway. And Duncan can' t make himself stop reading.

What would you do with a book like that? How far would you go to catch a madman?

And what if time was running out. . . .

Publishers Weekly 11/10/2003

McNamee's (Hate You) taut novel reads like a fast-paced nail-biter of a movie. Narrator Duncan has a summer job working in the lost-and-found department of the Toronto subway system, filing away discarded jackets and trinkets, bored by both the work and his sad-sack boss ("If you think of a half-deflated soccer ball with two of the hairiest ears you've ever seen attached to it, you've got a good picture of Jacob"). Among the lost items he discovers a diary, "a little leather book, with a cover that feels like skin": early entries detail the writer's grisly experiments on animals; he later graduates to arson. In his most recent entries, the writer describes three women he sees every day on the subway and tries to decide which one to kill. When the police brush off Duncan ("You don't seem like a bad kid," says the cop at the precinct. "But maybe you should find a better way to spend your summer vacation"), he enlists his friends Vinny and Wayne to help him catch the would-be killer; an ancillary story line, about Duncan's failed attempt to rescue a drowning girl, sheds light on Duncan's desperate need to be a savior. If aspects of the plot seem a bit overdetermined, there remains much to hook the audience. The timing never falters, and the dialogue stays crisp. Duncan and his friends no clean-cut do-gooders have gritty, complex personalities. A well-turned thriller. Ages 12-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

11/01/2003 School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Seventeen-year-old Duncan is haunted by the fact that he was unable to save a drowning girl a few yards away one fateful afternoon the previous September. This summer he has a job working underground at the Toronto subway lost and found where he uncovers, amid the piles of forgotten junk, an opportunity to exorcise his own guilty demons. When business is slow, Duncan spends his time rummaging through dusty shelves and boxes of unclaimed items. During one of these sessions, he uncovers a strange, leather-bound book that turns out to be the diary of a would-be serial killer. Unable to tear himself from the gory descriptions of tortured animals and arson, he discovers that the writer has started to stalk women on the subway. When the police seem disinterested, the teen takes matters into his own hands, and with the aid of his two best friends, tries to track and trap the murderer before he can strike. This chilling page-turner is all thrills, and the author cleverly manipulates readers' sense of disbelief by eliminating the possibility of police help or parental understanding. What results is one teen's self-conscious yet fast-paced journey into the mind of a cold-blooded killer, and the resulting manhunt will keep readers on the edge of their seats.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

The Big Game of Everything
by Chris Lynch
Published 2008 by Harper Teen

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780060740344

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Jacket Notes:

You have to love your family. You do, even if you don't, right? You don't have to understand them or play tennis with them, but you have to love them. It's a rule, and it's the kind of rule you don't break unless you're some kind of animal. My brother happens to be some kind of animal. My sister rides this sweet gold Honda scooter and has amazing hair. You'd hate her. My parents are vegetarian let-the-sunshine-in freaks. Lovable freaks but freaks all the same. My grand-father possesses a shocking comb-over, a kilt, about half of his original marbles, and his own golf complex. This summer, we are all working for him. It is going to be two hot, lucrative, carefree months of paradise. Or, possibly something else.

10/01/2008 School Library Journal

Gr 710Introspective and curious, Jock is considering questions many people never get around to puzzling out: What is the true measure of success? Is it money? Or, is it somehow achievable merely by defining one's own vision of happiness and making it happen? While most young adults' values are defined by friends and family, Jock's moral compass lacks an obvious pole to fix upon. His hippieish parents happily operate a barbershop with a backward business plan based on convincing would-be patrons to let their hair grow, and his younger brother brazenly takes materialistic self-interest, snarkiness, and sloth to laughable heights. Jock's main challenge in this crash course in self-discovery lies in figuring out if the employer he idolizes, the owner of the underutilized golf complex on which he worksand who also happens to be his grandfatheris a worthy role model or a tortured train in the midst of derailment. Unlike Jock's parents, Grampus claims to believe in entrepreneurial ambition. He pursues those goals in idiosyncratic fashion, running and expanding his 13-hole golf course on his own terms, often shoeless and shirtlessand sometimes in a kilt. Jock begins to wonder if his grandfather's a winner, a loser, or something in betweenuntil a series of unexpected visits and a mild stroke force the answer. "The Big Game of Everything" is a funny and thoughtful novel that considers the true nature of class, happiness, and success through the eyes of a teenage boy."Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI" Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.Gr 710Introspective and curious, Jock is considering questions many people never get around to puzzling out: What is the true measure of success? Is it money? Or, is it somehow achievable merely by defining one's own vision of happiness and making it happen? While most young adults' values are defined by friends and family, Jock's moral compass lacks an obvious pole to fix upon. His hippieish parents happily operate a barbershop with a backward business plan based on convincing would-be patrons to let their hair grow, and his younger brother brazenly takes materialistic self-interest, snarkiness, and sloth to laughable heights. Jock's main challenge in this crash course in self-discovery lies in figuring out if the employer he idolizes, the owner of the underutilized golf complex on which he worksand who also happens to be his grandfatheris a worthy role model or a tortured train in the midst of derailment. Unlike Jock's parents, Grampus claims to believe in entrepreneurial ambition. He pursues those goals in idiosyncratic fashion, running and expanding his 13-hole golf course on his own terms, often shoeless and shirtlessand sometimes in a kilt. Jock begins to wonder if his grandfather's a winner, a loser, or something in betweenuntil a series of unexpected visits and a mild stroke force the answer. "The Big Game of Everything" is a funny and thoughtful novel that considers the true nature of class, happiness, and success through the eyes of a teenage boy."Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI" Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Dream Factory
by Brad Barkley
Published 2007 by Dutton Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780525478027

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Jacket Notes:

When the character actors at Disney World go on strike, the teens hired as replacements learn that it isnat exactly the Happiest Place on Earth. Ella gets to be Cinderella, simply because the shoe fits. It should be a dream come true, but Ella no longer believes in dreams. Luke is a fur character, Dale the chipmunk. Chip is played by his girlfriend, Cassie, who is perfect in every way. Why, then, does Luke find himself more drawn to imperfect things like the theme parkas Phantom? A team-building scavenger hunt brings Luke and Ella together. As they uncover the Magic Kingdomas treasures, they discover an undeniable magic between them.

07/01/2007 School Library Journal

Gr 8 UpDisney World's magic depends on both the invisible ranks and on "face" employees, including some young adults who step in to play the character roles when the regulars go on strike. Ella, given to silent sadness over the recent death of her brother and the subsequent decampment of her parents to Africa, lands the plum role of Cinderella as well as the romantic attentions of her Prince Charming. Yet it's Luke, stuck sweating inside the suit of Dale the chipmunk and likewise stuck with a too-perfect girlfriend in Chip, who intrigues Ella. The two reveal their experiences and backgrounds in alternating voices penned by two different authors. While the characters run from princess breakfasts to the daily royal wedding, they fret about their personal lives: Ella is not sure if she's ready for college in Vermont, and Luke wonders if he can walk lockstep into the comfortable future his parents have laid out for him. The authors realistically portray all of the anticipation and thrill of a romanceone in which Ella and Luke share who they are, what they fear, and what they yearn for. A setting filled with Disney flavor and trivia gives readers insider insight into the Magic Kingdom. Able writing moves the story along while strong characterization makes even secondary players come alive."Suzanne Gordon, Peachtree Ridge High School, Suwanee, GA" Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Publisher's Marketing Text:

When the character actors at Disney World go on strike, the teens hired as replacements learn that it isnat exactly the Happiest Place on Earth. Ella gets to be Cinderella, simply because the shoe fits. It should be a dream come true, but Ella no longer believes in dreams. Luke is a fur character, Dale the chipmunk. Chip is played by his girlfriend, Cassie, who is perfect in every way. Why, then, does Luke find himself more drawn to imperfect things like the theme parkas Phantom? A team-building scavenger hunt brings Luke and Ella together. As they uncover the Magic Kingdomas treasures, they discover an undeniable magic between them.

Lawn Boy
by Gary Paulsen
Published 2007 by Wendy Lamb Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780385746861

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Jacket Notes:

When a 12-year-old boy revs up his grandparents old riding lawnmower, he quickly learns about the beauty of capitalism, in this latest novel by the acclaimed author of "The Legend of Bass Reeves" and "The Time Hackers." One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa's old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about "the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth." "Wealth?" I said. "It's groovy, man," said Arnold.

If I'd known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That's when my 12th summer got really interesting.

Publishers Weekly 06/11/2007

At the start of this witty, quick-moving tale from the Newbery author, a 12-year-old receives an unexpected birthday present from his grandmother: his late grandfather's riding lawn mower. Since his family's lawn is postage-stamp size with grass that never seemed to grow enough to need mowing, he's initially unsure what to do with the machine. But he soon realizes that he can earn money mowing neighbors' lawnsperhaps even enough to buy a new inner tube for his bike. As the young entrepreneur's lawn-mowing business booms, he sees green in more ways than one, making enough money to buy countless inner tubes and learning a lesson about capitalism and investing. His teacher, a colorful ex-hippie named Arnold, is a down-on-his-luck stockbroker who brokers a barter deal with the lad, offering to invest his earnings for him in exchange for grass-cutting services. Repeatedly remarking how groovy Lawn Boy's success is, Arnold instructs his young pal in the rules of the business road, humorously reflected in Paulsen's chapter titles (such as Capital Growth Coupled with the Principles of Production Expansion and Conflict Resolution and Its Effects on Economic Policy). Adding further wry dimension to the plot are a tough-talking thug who threatens to take over the kid's business, the prize fighter whom Arnold (through another investment) arranges for Lawn Boy to sponsor, and the boy's delightfullyand deceptivelydotty grandmother, who gets the novel's sage last line: You know, dear, Grandpa always said, take care of your tools and they'll take care of you. Readers will find this madcap story a wise investment of their time. Ages 10-up. "(June)" Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

06/01/2007 School Library Journal

Gr 47Learning the workings of the free-market economy has never been more fun than in this tall tale of entrepreneurship set in Eden Prairie, MN. When the narrator's grandmother gives him an old rider mower for his 12th birthday, his life changes; he senses "some kind of force behind it." Almost as soon as he figures out how to run it, the boy is in businessby the second day he has eight jobs. When he mows the lawn of Arnold Howell, an aging hippie e-trader, the cash-poor man offers a stock-market account in lieu of payment. Arnold not only invests the money; he also offers business advice. Soon lawn boy has a partner, 15 employees, a lot of money invested in the market, and a prizefighter. Chapter headings suggest business principles behind what is happening. Throughout the tale, the narrator is innocent of his success as he rises early each morning to begin each job, eats lunch on the mower, and longs for a less-hectic summer vacation. This rags-to-riches success story has colorful characters, a villain, and enough tongue-in-cheek humor to make it an enjoyable selection for the whole family."Kathryn Kosiorek, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH" Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.Gr 47Learning the workings of the free-market economy has never been more fun than in this tall tale of entrepreneurship set in Eden Prairie, MN. When the narrator's grandmother gives him an old rider mower for his 12th birthday, his life changes; he senses "some kind of force behind it." Almost as soon as he figures out how to run it, the boy is in businessby the second day he has eight jobs. When he mows the lawn of Arnold Howell, an aging hippie e-trader, the cash-poor man offers a stock-market account in lieu of payment. Arnold not only invests the money; he also offers business advice. Soon lawn boy has a partner, 15 employees, a lot of money invested in the market, and a prizefighter. Chapter headings suggest business principles behind what is happening. Throughout the tale, the narrator is innocent of his success as he rises early each morning to begin each job, eats lunch on the mower, and longs for a less-hectic summer vacation. This rags-to-riches success story has colorful characters, a villain, and enough tongue-in-cheek humor to make it an enjoyable selection for the whole family."Kathryn Kosiorek, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH" Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Mermaid Park
by Beth Mayall
Published 2005 by Sleuth RazorBill

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9781595140296

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Jacket Notes:

09/01/2005 School Library Journal

Gr 7-10 -Amy is not looking forward to a three-day vacation with her family at the Jersey shore, visiting her mother's godmother, Lynne, who owns a motel. The last thing the 16-year-old wants is be stuck with her mother, with whom she has been fighting; her difficult stepfather, who picks on her; her pretty younger sister; and her sister's friend. But when they arrive, she instantly connects with Dylan, a local boy who does odd jobs for Lynne, and discovers Mermaid Park, an underwater spectacular that features teenage girls in mermaid costumes. Amy then stays for the rest of the summer without her family and vows to become one of those swimmers. Mayall realistically portrays a conflicted teen who thinks that the world is out to get her. Readers will identify with her struggle to find herself, relate to others, and get over her fears in the 36-foot-deep tank. The other characters, including a beautiful friend, a grumpy boss, and a jilted boy, are believable as well. The interactions between Amy and her mother are painfully realistic, which makes the surprise ending concerning the girl's parentage even more meaningful. This is a good read that deals with real growing-up issues." -Carly B. Wiskoff, Great Neck Library, NY" Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Project Sweet Life
by Brent Hartinger
Published 2009 by Harper Teen

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780060824112

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Jacket Notes:

For most kids, fifteen is the year of the optional summer job: Sure, you can get a job if you really want one, but it isn't required or anything. Too bad Dave's dad doesn't agree! Instead of enjoying long days of biking, swimming, and sitting around, Dave and his two best friends are being forced by their fathers into a summer of hard labor. The friends have something else in mind, though: Not only will they not work over the summer, but they're determined to trick everyone into believing they really do have jobs. So what if the lifeguard doesn't have a tan or the fast-food worker isn't bringing home buckets of free chicken? There's only one problem: Dave's dad wants evidence that his son is actually bringing in money. And that means Dave, Curtis, and Victor will have to get some . . . without breaking the law and without doing any work! "Project Sweet Life" is designed for the funny and lazy bone in all of us--a true comedy of errors (without any effort!) from seasoned storyteller Brent Hartinger.

04/01/2009 School Library Journal

Gr 69Fifteen-year-old friends Dave, Victor, and Curtis are looking forward to a long summer of freedom. Much to their dismay, their fathers require them to get jobs. In an effort to salvage their vacation, the boys devise a plan: they will tell their dads that they are working and then figure out a get-rich-quick scheme. If all goes accordingly, they will earn money with little effort and have a relaxing time all to themselves. They dub their plan Project Sweet Life. What results is a hilarious story filled with mishaps, close calls, and outrageous adventures. Peppered with Dave's mom's strange culinary creations (fish stick stew, spaghetti meatloaf, canned-tuna tacos, anyone?), the plot is a bit far-fetched; however, it will keep readers laughing and engaged. The novel will be especially appealing to middle school boys, who will wish they could start their own Project Sweet Life."Sarah K. Allen, Thetford Academy, VT" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Things You Either Hate or Love
by Brigid Lowry
Published 2006 by Holiday House

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780823420049

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Jacket Notes:

Fifteen-year-old Georgia has to get to the Natural Affinity concert because she's obsessed with the band's lead singer, Jakob. However, there is one major obstacle standing in her way--money. Georgia has to get to the Natural Affinity concert. She is obsessed with the band's lead singer, Jakob. However, there is one major obstacle standing in her way. Money. Naturally, each of her jobs proves to be disastrous. Georgia struggles with her weight, slipping grades, her lack of a boyfriend, and the distance that seems to be growing between her and her best friend.

Publishers Weekly 03/06/2006

Readers will instantly relate to funny, honest 15-year-old Georgia. "I like to think of myself as a brilliant creative person, but sometimes I just feel like a sad lonely girl with a big bum." Lowry ("Guitar Highway Rose") covers familiar teen angst territory, from Georgia's tension with her single mom to a seemingly unrequited crush, but she handles the topics tenderly and realistically. Georgia's infatuated with the lead singer for Natural Affinity, and takes a string of bad jobs so she can fly to one of the band's concerts (one job comes to a sudden end when she angrily hits her manager with a loaf of bread). But when she starts working at a grocery store, she falls for a cute clerk who reads her his poem about toilet paper. Meanwhile tension with her mother ebbs and flows, but gradually comes to a head when Georgia learns a secret about her long dead father. Throughout, she writes lists in her diary, full of funny things such as "10 things you can do with a sausage besides eating it" and small heartbreaks (on the list "Ways in which I am "like "my mother" she writes: "We both miss the same man"). Ultimately, this is a well-executed story, with a vivid narrator sure to win readers' hearts. Ages 12-up. "(Mar.)" Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

04/01/2006 School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up -This story is made up of a series of journal entries and lists compiled by 15-year-old Georgia, who makes several unsuccessful attempts to earn the $500 she needs to hear her favorite group, Natural Affinity. She lives in Golden Bay, Australia, so she'll need a lot if she's going to fly to Melbourne for the May Day concert. Meanwhile, she struggles with her weight and appearance, obsesses over a particular guy, and tries to maintain a halfway decent relationship with her single mom. Lowry is also a poet, which is evident in her different styles of writing and colorful prose. Readers will be drawn in by her ability to paint word pictures of the main character's innermost thoughts and feelings. After reading this quirky, fun novel, teens are sure to request Lowry's "Guitar Highway Rose" (2003) and "Follow the Blue" (2004, both Holiday House)." -Kathryn Childs, Morris Mid/High School, OK" Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Chicks Ahoy
by Lynda Sandoval
Published 2006 by Simon Pulse

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780689864414

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Jacket Notes:

The author of "Who's Your Daddy?" returns with this novel that chronicles the summer between junior and senior year for Camille and Jiggy, who are working on a cruise ship that Camille's father captains. For Camille Tafoya and Jane Goodall "Jiggy" Yearling, the summer before their senior year was supposed to be awesome.Meaning, they were supposed to be spending it doing whatever they wanted. But due to circumstances beyond either girl's control (okay, maybe Camille could have studied a tad for the SATs), their parents have decided what they need is parental supervision -- lots of it. So instead, they're being shipped out to sea on the cruise ship Camille's father captains. But this isn't a party cruise; they are being forced to work on a boat full of old farts. If they screw up, you can bet the captain is going to hear about it. When they leave the port, Camille looks around and decides maybe this won't be so bad. Sure, most of the passengers aren't under the age of fifty, but the guys who work on the ship are more her age. Maybe this is a party cruise....But then Jiggy's partying gets out of hand, and Camille does all she can to rein her in. By doing so, Camille discovers a little about herself, Jiggy, and what it really means to be a friend.

Aquamarine
by Alice Hoffman
Published 2001 by Scholastic Press

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780439098632

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Jacket Notes:

Best friends Hailey and Claire discover a mermaid at the bottom of the pool at the Capri Beach Club. The sharp-tongued mermaid, named Aquamarine, left her ocean home in search of love on land. But as the summer sun affects Aquamarine, a rescue led by Hailey and Claire begins.

Publishers Weekly 02/19/2001

Hoffman's (Fireflies; The River King) novel for children focuses on two best friends who share a mysterious secret. The summer that Hailey and Claire are both 12 is bittersweet; come September, Claire will move to Florida with her grandparents. But in the meantime, the girls spend their days at their favorite hangout, the Capri Beach Club, which is slated for demolition and all but deserted, save for Raymond, the college-bound bookworm who runs the snack shop. After a violent storm, the girls discover a mermaid at the bottom of the pool. As the days pass, Aquamarine's health wanes on account of the chlorinated water, and the girls orchestrate a Cinderella-esque romantic evening between Aquamarine and Raymond on the condition that the mermaid return to the sea after that night, to heal. Hoffman creates an apt metaphor for that twilight time between childhood and adolescence when magic still seems possible and friendships run deep and true. Although her characters are sketched well, they are not fully realized; and while the language is lyrical (Aquamarine is "beautiful as a pearl" with a voice "as cool and fresh as bubbles rising from the ocean"), the narrative itself spins out in a coolly elegant, detached voice that evokes an adult's ("Maybe... they'd grow up and be just like all those other people who didn't know what it meant to have your best friend living right next door") and muffles much of the story's energy and potential. Ages 10-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

03/01/2001 School Library Journal

Gr 5-6-Hailey and Claire, along with Raymond the snack-counter guy, are the only people who spend time at the Capri Beach Club, which has fallen on hard times. The best friends are ruefully counting down the days until Claire moves to Florida with her grandparents. When a storm washes a bad-mannered mermaid named Aquamarine into the club pool, she falls in love with Raymond and begs the girls to help her win his heart. They agree, on the condition that she returns to the sea after her "date" with him. This book has some wonderful elements-there is some vivid imagery, especially when it comes to the setting, with its waves of heat and air of decay. There are also some lovely balances between the girls as they gradually exchange roles as either brave or clever, and they seem to take turns accepting the girl who will inevitably move in next door. Unfortunately, the narration puts too much space between readers and the story, leaving them unengaged. There is also the more practical question of why the beach club is still open even though Claire and Hailey are the only two who come each day. Finally, one of the things that Hoffman seems to do best in her adult novels is leisurely create characters that can walk right out of the story. She doesn't have the time or space here to do that and the result, sadly, is a very boring mermaid and two dull girls suffering from separation anxiety.-Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty
by Jody Elizabeth Gehrman
Published 2008 by Dial Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780803732476

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Jacket Notes:

Geena can't wait to spend summer vacation with her two best girls, Amber and Hero. All three are working at the Triple Shot Betty coffee shop together, but the moment Amber and Hero meet, the claws come out. Geena canat wait to spend summer vacation with her two best girls: her friend Amber and her cousin Hero. All three are working at the Triple Shot Betty coffee shop together, but the moment Amber and Hero meet, the claws come out. They hate each other on sight. Geenaas dreams of a girl-bonding summer fl y out the window, and then threaten to disappear completely when a few cute (okay, drop-dead gorgeous) guys come along to woo the Bettys. But all is not what it seems, and in a story of mistaken identities, crazy summer high jinks, and enough romance to make Shakespeare proud, Geena and her friends learn that when Bettys unite, they can take on the most powerful force in their world: a hot guy.

Publishers Weekly 04/21/2008

In first novelist Gehrman's inventive retelling of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing", the setting is Sonoma, Calif., where Geena looks forward to a summer with her wild best friend, Amber, and prim cousin, Hero, who has just returned from boarding school. They do not automatically bond, as Geena had hoped, but when Hero and Amber become targets of a deceptive golden boy, they learn to depend on each other. There is plenty that is true to Shakespeare (including clever exchanges and a surfeit of romantic confusion), and the author has made some smart updates. The girls, for example, work together in a drive-through coffee shop; a subplot has Hero's good-girl reputation put in jeopardy when the supposed golden boy posts faked sexy pictures of her on MySpace. Readers may find the girls' revenge scheme a bit outrageous, but will root for them anyway, especially strong, skateboarding Geena, who, when her new boyfriend refuses to help, bravely tells him, Then you're no friend of mine. Even those unfamiliar with the Elizabethan model will enjoy this savvy remake, with its traditional ending, where everyone gets exactly what they deserve. Ages 14up. "(Apr.)" Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

07/01/2008 School Library Journal

Gr 9 UpGeena, 16, plans to spend her summer working at the local coffee shop in her Sonoma Valley town with her cousin Hero and her friend Amber. She envisions grinding out espressos and supersize iced mochas during the day and spending sleepover nights painting toenails and confessing secrets. Within the first few hours of her arrival home from a Connecticut boarding school, Hero falls in love with an Italian boy working at her father's vineyard and it's clear that she and Amber are not going to be friends. As the story unfolds through Geena's diary entries, readers discover each girl's strengths, flaws, and personality. Truly updating this story inspired by Shakespeare's "Much Ado about Nothing", Gehrman includes a contemporary subplot in which John, whose affections Hero rejects, posts faked nude pictures of her on MySpace, thanks to Photoshop. To save her reputation, the girls concoct a complicated revenge plan that succeeds, revealing the popular and confident John for who he really is. While the drama of this situation might seem outlandish to adults, the author touches on a very real concern of Internet safety. Reluctant readers will be attracted to the hot-pink cover and "hot guy" plotline, but more competent readers will enjoy the novel as well. Gehrman blends realistic teen characters who use slang, curse, and talk about sex with skillfully descriptive writing, leaving readers with a double shot of a highly caffeinated and hard-to-put-down book."Sarah O'Holla, Village Community School, New York City" Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Dogwalker
by Karen Spafford-Fitz
Published 2006 by Orca Book Publishers

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9781551435220

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Jacket Notes:

Turk needs cash, but getting a job is out of the question. When he discovers that his friends will do anything to meet girls, Turk starts a dog walking business. His friends walk the dogs and Turk collects half the money. What Your Teen is Really Feeling. Supporting Your Child's Interests. Enjoying Quality Family Time Together. Those are some of the headlines I've seen in Mom's new parenting magazines. The one about quality family time is really messing with my life.

Turk needs cash, but he's allergic to his own sweat so getting a job is out of the question. Then he makes a discovery: Girls love dogs. Turk's friends will do anything to meet girls. Turk starts a dog walking business. His friends walk the dogs and Turk collects half the money. In an attempt to impress dog-loving Carly, Turk brags about his business in front of the school tough guy, Chuck. When Chuck learns the true nature of Turk's business and wants in on the action, Turk worries that he will lose his business and Carly's respect.

Karen Spafford-Fitz discovered how well dogs attract people when she and her husband got their first dog. People always stopped to swap stories about the special dogs in their lives. Dog Walker is Karen's first published novel. Karen lives with her family in Edmonton, Alberta.

Catch
by Will Leitch
Published 2005 by Sleuth RazorBill

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9781595140692

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Jacket Notes:

11/01/2005 School Library Journal

Gr 10 Up -During the summer between his high school graduation and leaving for state college, Tim Temples works and drinks hard and discovers that he is not alone at the center of his own universe. In the course of about 15 weeks, he watches his older brother -a former baseball star like their father -degenerate socially and physically for no obvious (to Tim) reason. It's during this same time that he is smitten for the first time in his young womanizing life. Helena is more than five years his senior, hard-bitten by life and her own sarcastic attitude, and only Tim believes that the affair has lasting potential. Daytimes are spent working in a food packaging plant, hauling boxes, and noticing that his old high school friends are quickly fading into the -old men - who staff the plant year round. Only belatedly does Tim realize that he is different from most of his friends, most of his family, most of the town. He's leaving to be a college guy, in a world just down the highway but very far away in terms of prospects. Leitch draws readers to Tim slowly and places him within a cast of characters who are finely etched, realistic, and memorably quirky. Teens will recognize people they know among these characters, some admirable, most deeply flawed, all genuine. This is a keenly felt and absorbing read about this bittersweet rite of passage." -Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA" Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.