Silent to the Bone

by E.L. Konigsburg

For older readers. Connor's best friend Branwell suddenly can't speak, and the au pair says he dropped the baby, who is now in a coma. Connor has to find a way to communicate with Branwell, and slowly piece together what happened. The boys are 13, and dealing with the strange feelings that come with puberty, and the au pair uses this to manipulate them. It's about coming of age, friendship, and the ways families can hurt each other unthinkingly. Very good.

reviewed by Rachel

The Snaggle Grollop

by Daniel Postgate

This fun picture book boosts a child's imagination and provides a lesson...for parents. When Sam asks his busy parents if he can have a dog or cat, they quickly shoot him down with reasons they do not want a pet. So Sam asks for a snaggle grollop. "What's a snaggle grollop?" they ask. When Sam says he just made it up, his parents laugh and tell him, sure, he can have one. The very next day, though, Sam shows up with a huge, colorful snaggle grollop, and his parents have to let him keep it since they said he could. Read this short, hilarious picture book to find out what happens when a snaggle grollup joins your family. (Maybe Sam's parents should give the idea of a pet dog a little more thought...)

reviewed by Jennifer

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

by Brandon Sanderson

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians
You can practically hear the voiceover on the title, can't you? What a fun book for kids and adults (even librarians)! The plot is a twist on the standard fantasy plot: "orphan kid (lovable, but misunderstood) must save the world from an evil conspiracy." Mix in conspiring Librarians, talking British dinosaurs, and a 13 year old female warrior, and things get silly. The hero's asides to the reader are hilarious, and the absurd plot twists keep the reader guessing. Sanderson is better known for his adult science fiction, so it's no surprise that the Alcatraz series is a fun choice for a family read-aloud too. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment: Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones.

reviewed by Victoria

Operation Redwood

by S. Terrell French

When Julian gets sick at school, he has to go stay at his uncle's office until his uncle, Sibley Carter, can take him home. He wasn't really planning on reading his uncle's email, but one of them had his name on it - literally. After reading the email with the subject line "Julian," he's pretty sure the next email's subject line is true, "Sibley Carter is a moron and a world-class jerk!"

Julian is staying with his aunt and uncle while his mom is working in China over the summer. Things are not going well, to say the least. He's constantly in trouble for reasons he doesn't understand, and his aunt and uncle seem like they just want to be rid of him. When he discovers that his uncle's company is about to cut down an old growth redwood forest for the lumber, he schemes with his old friend Danny and his new friend Robin (who sent the second email) to save the forest.

Reviewed by Jessica

Highway Robbery

by Kate Thompson

Set in 18th Century England, a poor, homeless boy sees a wild looking gentleman ride into town on his beautiful black horse. Surprisingly, the stranger ruffles the boy's hair and asks him to watch his horse until he gets back. For his troubles, the boy will get a golden guinea, which is more money than he's ever had before. A series of situations involving smarmy fellows, the king's captain and his soldiers, a few silly girls, and the true story of the horse, Black Bess, and her rider, will keep readers whipping through the pages. The comical illustrations throughout are whimsical and enticing, but of a totally different style than the book's cover art, which looks more serious. It is sort of historical, and sort of an adventure, and maybe a bit of a mystery at the end. The story reads like one big first chapter to a longer series, and I certainly hope Kate Thompson will bring back Black Bess and the deceivingly smart young lad for more adventures.

reviewed by Jennifer