I enjoyed Zen and the Art of Faking It so much, I decided to read another book by Jordan Sonnenblick. In Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, 13-year-old Steven Alper's 5-year-old brother, Jeffrey, is diagnosed with leukemia. Steven is a drummer, and one day before the diagnosis Jeffrey used his favorite drum sticks to stir his made-up concoction in the kitchen called "dangerous pie." Of course, Steven was very angry with Jeffrey then, but the difficult process the whole family goes through while Jeffrey undergoes treatment gives Steven a new perspective on just about everything, but especially on the value of having a younger brother. This is an excellent school/family story. I laughed and cried, and had a great time reading this book. Another winner!
In The True Adventures of Charley Darwin, by Carolyn Meyer, readers hear the story of Charles Darwin's early years, told in novel form from his own perspective. This book is part seafaring adventure, because much of the story is devoted to describing his adventures aboard the HMS Beagle, circumnavigating the globe and gathering the animal and plant specimens that would help him develop his theory of natural selection, and later write his books. We also hear of the horrible school he attended as a boy in Shrewsbury, England, and a little about how he got together with his wife, Emma, a girl he had known all his life before they married. I found this book interesting and educational, but I think the audience for it among younger readers might be limited. It's a serious book, and only a small portion is devoted to Charley as a boy. Still, I would recommend it to middle schoolers who are avid, serious readers.
I enjoyed listening to Zen and the Art of Faking It, by Jordan Sonnenblick. The main character, San Lee, moves to a new city and new school for 8th grade. He has moved many times, and each time he seems to find a new identity for himself. This time he pretends to be a Zen master, even though he has to go to the library to research Zen Buddhism in order to pull it off. He really likes a girl named Woodie at his new school. She plays her guitar during lunchtime and donates the change kids give her to a soup kitchen where she volunteers. The story is in some ways a typical school story, complete with bullies, nerds, etc. But, happily, the characters in this story turn out to be complex and interesting and fun to read (listen) about. I recommend this one, and I will definitely want to read more by this author.
Shark Girl, by Kelly Bingham, is a novel told in verse and letters, and I think this format works very well for the subject. 15-yer-old Jane Arrowood goes for a swim in the ocean on a summer day and is attacked by a shark. Her right arm is so badly mangled that she has to have it amputated above the elbow. The novel is told from her perspective, detailing the immediate aftermath in the hospital, and later her slow recovery at home. I really could not put this book down. Jane's voice is remarkably real, her story very moving. A friend recommended this book to me a few months ago, and now I wish I had not waited so long to get around to it. I highly recommend this one!15-year-old Tamisin, the main character of Wings: A Fairy Tale, by E. D. Baker, has always been different, but she finds out that she is half fairy when she grows wings and travels to the land of the fey with friend and half goblin Jak.
What she does not know, at first, is that Jak was actually sent to the human world to kidnap her. Jak's uncle, Targin, is a powerful figure among the goblins, and he is tired of being ruled by the fairy queen, Titania. Targin has heard a rumor and thinks that holding Tamisin will help him to bargain with the fairy queen.
I enjoyed this story. Baker's writing is sometimes a bit awkward, espeically his dialog, which often seems clunky and unrealistic. However, I did think the characters and story were interesting -- certainly enough so to finish the book and wish I could read more.
I listened to Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis. The story is based on real historical events. The Elgin settlement, also known as Buxton, Candada, was founded in 1849 by a white reverend named William King. It was a place where people who had escaped from slavery in America lived. In Curtis's wonderful book, 11-year-old Elijah, who was the first free-born child born in Buxton, narrates. The beginning of the book is lighthearted and humorous, as we hear Elijah describe life in his community. Later, things become more serious, and Elijah travels to America to track down a thief. Elijah does a lot of growing up during the story, as he successfully handles this terrifying situation by himself.
The Will in Wicked Will, by Bailey MacDonald, is 12-year-old William Shakespeare. He and Tom Pryne (who is really a girl named Viola, disguised as a boy) must solve a murder in order to free Viola's uncle, who is in jail, falsely accused. Reading this book, I was highly entertained by MacDonald's colorful, well-developed characters. I also thought the mystery was clever, if a tad bit predictable. Young readers may not pick up on the Shakespearean references but no matter. I enjoyed this who-done-it very much. At about 200 pages long, this book is a good one to recommend to middle graders who want something fun but not too demanding.According to the cover flap for Eye of the Crow, the first book in The Boy Sherlock Holmes series, author Shane Peacock is fascinated with Sherlock Holmes and wanted to create a background story about Holmes' childhood.
This is just my type of book: a mystery/detective story set in the London of Sherlock Holmes and Charles Dickens. In this story, Sherlock is 13 years old, and he becomes involved in solving a murder because he believes the man the police have arrested is innocent. He is soon in over his head, because his contact with the condemned man causes the police to suspect him as well. He is arrested but escapes. Then he must solve the crime not only to save the innocent man still in jail but also to save himself. In this story, Peacock has created complex, colorful characters. I especially like Malefactor, the leader of a gang of homeless boys. There is also plenty of excitement to keep the pages turning, such as when Sherlock breaks into the homes of suspected murderers by sliding down their chimneys. I look forward to reading more about young Sherlock!
The Lost Hero is the first book in Rick Riordan's new series about Camp Half-Blood. 
Although Percy Jackson is mentioned (he's gone missing), and Annabeth makes an appearance, this book focuses on three new heroes named Jason, Piper, and Leo. When these three demigods arrive at Camp Half-Blood, they discover that there is a new (well, very, very old) and very powerful enemy to be dealt with -- someone even worse than the Titans. Zeus has closed Olympus, and Hera has been captured and imprisoned. When Chiron finds out who Jason is he tells him he was "supposed to be dead." Fans of this series (like me!) will love this new book.
Forge, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is the sequel to Chains, and both are excellent books set in the time of the American Revolutionary War.
Forge continues the story of Isabel and Curzon, two slaves who escaped their masters at the end of Chains. The focus this time is on Curzon. He ends up serving in George Washington's army and is part of the force enduring that horrible winter at Valley Forge. Curzon does meet Isabel later in the book when he is recaptured by his old master and finds her working for him. Anderson does a terrific job, again, of using history as a basis for an exciting story about likeable characters. I don't think reading Chains first is absolutely necessary, but I would recommend it
Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer, is one of those series I have been meaning to read for a while. I actually started reading the first book a few years ago, but for some reason it didn't hold my interest and I never finished it. I'm glad I gave the book another chance, though, because I really liked it. 
Colfer describes his 12-year-old main character, Artemis Fowl, as a "pale adolescent speaking with the authority and vocabulary of a powerful adult." Artemis seems like a combination Sherlock Holmes/James Bond, and the first book is fast-paced and very clever. I will certainly recommend this series to kids who enjoy the spy/thriller genre.
