Florrie Ryder is having a hard time leaving everything she has ever known behind. Her best friend, her grandparents, and even the grave of her father must all remain in Arrow Rock, Missouri. Florrie, her younger brother Jem, her mother, and her mother's new husband are going to travel down the Santa Fe Trail to begin a new life in New Mexico in the town of Santa Fe. Unlike the Oregon Trail and others that went towards the west coast, the Santa Fe Trail was used mostly by traders rather than by settlers.

Nevertheless, it was still a grueling journey and Florrie witnesses more than her fair share of suffering and hardship. She develops friendships that come to mean a great deal to her and that sustain her. We are drawn into the story as Florrie and her family battle their way down the trail, and we are charmed by Florrie's likable and determined personality. Florrie sees things with a clarity that can be quite startling at times, even to her. For example, she comments early in the journey that she feels lost "like a stick figure drawn in the dust, erased by wagon tracks." Later she remarks, "I am lonely and have fallen under the cloud of my own bad weather."

Written in a style that suggests Florrie's own speech, Megan McDonald has created a wonderful character and has gone to great lengths to study the times and the people she writes about. Her inclusion of Spanish words, as Florrie begins to learn the language, is a particularly effective device. Both sad and at times humorous, Florrie's story provides us with a thought-provoking picture of a time and place not often written about.

--- Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber (mjansengruber@mindspring.com)

For what feels like the hundredth time, Lily and her mother Arden have moved. This time, though, they are really scraping the bottom of the barrel. Having very little money, they are forced to stay at Uncle Wes's house in the historic city of Cape May.

Lily, full of anger at her lot in life, discovers that something very strange is going on in the old house. Objects seem to move around by themselves, someone puts jam in her shoes, and she receives strange phone calls. Then there are the secrets about her mother's family. How did strange Uncle Max die and why doesn't her mother talk about her family at all?

It isn't long before Lily realizes that, even though Uncle Max may be dead, he isn't gone. There is something that his restless ghost wants from her, and the sooner she finds out what it is, the better.

Laura Ruby pulls you into her extraordinary story from the very first page. There are in fact parallel stories being told: Lily's story and the story of the ghosts who live in Cape May. Both stories are sad at times, with lost souls looking for something that will give their existence (or the end of their existence) some meaning. Ruby keeps the two tales apart until the end of the book when they collide, the ghosts and the living people coming together in a fitting finale.

Gripping and beautifully written with highly visual descriptive passages and a touch of black humor, LILY'S GHOSTS will alternately touch and amuse the reader. It also encourages thought about the afterlife, and there will be times when one might feel compelled to turn on a few more lights or get up to see if the doors are locked.

--- (...)

One of Jin-Han Park's first memories is of the time he lost a hat that his mother had knitted for him. The wind carried it off and somehow, though he has worn many hats since then, he remembers that particular one best of all. Perhaps it is because his mother can no longer knit him a new hat.

We follow Jin-Han's memories from the time he lost his hat to when he lost his mother. These two points of reference are tied together for Jin-Han, connected forever in his heart. But there are some wonderful stories that lie between them. We can enjoy hearing about class photograph day when Jin-Han was in kindergarten, his first kiss, what it was like to become a big brother, and the many other times he shared with his family and friends.

Author John Son has created a collection of stories that will make you smile. It will also make you stop and think about the life of immigrants and the many hardships they have to face. There are so many things that need to be learned and understood. Jin-Han and his family undoubtedly must have felt isolated at times, like a small island in the vast sea of American life. We also see how the second generation can become separated from the first. Jin-Han wants to be as American as his friends are, while his parents still hold on to the Korean ways. As we watch Jin-Han grow up, we can see the divide between the parents and the boy widen; it is both interesting and sad to watch.

John Son involves us in the life of his Korean family and proves he can tell a wonderful story.

--- Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber (mjansengruber@mindspring.com)

It's 1942 in Alaska, just seven months after the Japanese navy destroyed Pearl Harbor. They have now just attacked the Aleutian Islands. Before this, the Aleut people had lived happy and successful lives. But now, all lives are on hold as they are sent to relocation centers in Southeastern Alaska.

Throughout her life, Vera has lived close to the sea with her family. But when the Japanese attack her home, the entire population is evacuated and crammed into crowded barracks. Everyone is stripped of their own lives. People now have to endure horrible conditions, look for food and work, and pray that the Japanese will surrender. Will things ever get better? Will the Aleut people be able to return to their normal lives?

ALEUTIAN SPARROW emphasizes the destructive power of violence and what it can do to victims and their communities. Hopefully, when people read this book, they will be reminded that violence only makes problems worse. If you like reading dramatic stories, read ALEUTIAN SPARROW to find out what happens to Vera and her community.

--- Reviewed by Ashley Hartlaub

Life has been difficult for Jamie Park since his mother died. While he finds some level of comfort running on his track team, the absence of his workaholic scientist father only makes life more complicated. Then one day Aunt Louise, a relative whom Jamie has never heard of, invites him to spend the entire summer with her in her isolated mountain home in the Pacific Northwest. Jamie accepts the offer, and his adventure of a lifetime officially begins.

Upon his arrival, he quickly finds out that life is going to be quite different. Louise's dwelling place is a one-room cabin with no plumbing or electricity. Despite this, Jamie excitedly listens to his aunt's nature and survival lessons. A number of peculiar events soon transpire, causing Jamie to be conscientious of an alliance he feels with a neighboring wolf pack. He then learns the truth behind the visit and a major secret about his family. Will Jamie return home, or will he stay with his aunt?

If I were Jamie, I would have decided to come home because I would have missed my family and friends. If you enjoy reading books with animals and a plot containing elements of mystery, be sure to read BLUE WOLF to find out what happens to Jamie and his family.

--- Reviewed by Ashley Hartlaub

For Chig Kalpin, being small is just about the biggest trial there is. Her real name is Minerva but she has always been called Chig, short for Chigger. It was a name her father gave her, a name given to her with affection because she was such a tiny baby. Unfortunately, some of the boys in school latch on to her nickname and persecute her until she feels as small as small can be. She wishes she was big and tough and able to show those boys a thing or two. With every passing day, her lack of inches becomes more and more of a worry. Chig looks into whether or not she is eating the right types of food to encourage growth. She asks her teacher and family about her problem. Surely, she isn't going to stay under five feet tall for the rest of her life.

Chig gets so caught up in her own problem that she almost misses seeing what is happening to the people around her and to her town. It all begins when Chig realizes that some of the children in her class have only one spread on their sandwiches for lunch. It had always been the norm to have two. Clearly, things are getting very bad indeed if the children's parents can only afford one spread. She then notices that there are more and more men sitting and standing around the stove at the store. There is no work to be had. The Depression has come to her little town and the hollows around it. Chig decides that there has to be something she can do to help the people of Niplak put a second spread on their children's sandwiches.

What follows is an extraordinary, often funny, and quite delightful series of events that Chig uses to bring about her hopes and dreams for her town. In the process Chig realizes that there is much more to being big than she ever dreamed, and the people of Niplak discover that they have a truly remarkable person in the midst, a person with courage and conviction, despite the fact that she is very short of stature.

Gwenyth Swain has written a book packed with charm, lovable characters, and a real understanding of what it was like to live through the Depression. She gathered stories from family members and other sources and put them together in a way that shows us how she loved the telling of this marvelous tale and how much she enjoyed being able to honor those who lived the stories she used.

--- (...)

Lucy knows that there are wolves living in the walls of her house. She can hear them hustling and bustling, creeping and crumpling. She tries to warn her family, but no one believes her. "You have an overactive imagination," says her father. "You must be hearing mice, I suppose," says her mother. "Bats," says her brother. Lucy however knows better, and everyone who's anyone knows that when the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over.

When the wolves do come out of the walls, as Lucy has told everyone they would, her family doesn't know what to do. They take up residency at the bottom of their garden, and while they're debating as to whether to live in a hot-air balloon or a tree house, Lucy decides to confront the wolves and reclaim the family's house.

Don't be fooled by the picture-book format; this is most definitely a book for older readers. The many different art techniques, from photo collages to paintings to pen-and-ink drawings, give a bizarre air to the book, yet it's one that is effective due to the quirky nature of Lucy's story.

Lucy is a character every reader will love: she is resilient, brave and thoughtful, and she does not tolerate anyone or anything terrorizing her family. Her attitude toward getting the wolves out of her house is inspiring and ingenious, because everyone who's anyone knows that when the people come out of the walls, it's all over.

--- (...)

Cissy doesn't quite know what to expect as she and her family clatter across the prairie in a train towards Florence, Oklahoma. They are going to claim some land on the new frontier and start a new life in the township. But when Cissy, her father, her mother, and a handful of other people get off the train, travel-weary and unsure of themselves, all they find is open prairie. Florence does not exist; it is a place they have to create for themselves.

At first the people feel totally unequipped for such a state of affairs. Cissy's own parents cannot seem to get along at all, her mother being very upset that they came to this dreadful spot in the first place and making her feelings vociferously and abundantly clear at frequent intervals. But with each other's help, they begin their new lives and Florence starts rising up out of the prairie. The townspeople agree that though they don't have much of a town yet, they are all sure it will grow once the train station is built. Commerce will come and Florence will prosper.

However, angered by the fact that the people of Florence have turned down his offer to buy their claims, the railroad owner refuses to allow his train to stop in Florence. He intends to cut the town off from the world. Now the townsfolk have to find a way to get that train to stop in their town before the town dies.

STOP THAT TRAIN! is a gripping story that pulls one along towards an extraordinary and unexpected finale. Part mystery and part western, with delightful characters who leap off the pages, this book is hard to put down. Armed with a delightful sense of humor and a keen understanding of human nature and its foibles, author Geraldine McCaughrean has created a book that will entertain readers of many ages.

--- Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber (mjansengruber@mindspring.com)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born into a life of comfort --- one could almost say a life of luxury. He had a beautiful home, was tutored privately, had a pony to ride and a boat to sail, and went on European vacations. His mother had very definite ideas as to how she wanted her son to live his life, and her word was very much the law in the Roosevelt household. Franklin went to a prestigious boarding school and then on to Harvard, just as his parents wished.

It was only when he was in his twenties that he began to assert his independence. He decided that he wanted to marry the niece of the great "Teddy" Roosevelt, a relative and former President of the United States. "Mother" was not pleased with his choice but Franklin insisted.

Franklin had just begun his political career when he was struck down and crippled by polio. His mother wanted him to go to the family home where she could care for him. But Franklin was not going to let polio destroy his dreams, and he fought very hard to prove to the American public that he was strong enough to be a good candidate --- first for Governor of New York, and later for President of the United States. He was determined to show them that a person stricken with polio could still be a great leader; he was so successful in this mission that he was elected President for an unprecedented four terms. He helped pull the United States out of the dark years of the Depression and led the country through World War II. With a huge grin on his face, he cheered up the American public when few others could.

In addition to documenting his remarkable accomplishments as a leader, author Kathleen Kudlinski also touches on Franklin's private life. We learn that he was afraid of fire because he couldn't run from it, he exercised for hours so that he would be able to do what was required of him as President, and though his leg braces hurt him terribly, he never said a word or complained. Franklin founded the March of Dimes and his support helped hundreds of polio victims. By the end of his third term in office, Franklin grew tired and terribly ill, but he still chose to run for President again because his country needed him.

Kudlinski brings Franklin Delano Roosevelt to life, giving him a real face, heart and smile.

--- Reviewed by Marya Jansen-Gruber (mjansengruber@mindspring.com)

Laughter and chaos fill page after page of PURE DEAD BRILLIANT, the third installment in the "Pure Dead" series. The story begins with a rivalry between Titus and Pandora concerning Titus's soon-to-be inheritance. Tarantella, Pandora's pet tarantula, observes the episode between the siblings while trying to scare Titus with her spidery presence. Meanwhile Ffup, the resident teen dragon, is dealing with her new job of motherhood. Nestor is her son, and even in his young existence he is already the center of attention.

Signora Baci Strega-Borgia is getting ready for the arrival of houseguests, who are all from the Institute of Applied Witchcraft. Much to her husband Signor Luciano's dismay, the visit is an educational retreat. This is already a bad idea, considering Baci is not up to the standards of witchcraft. The personalities of the students and the lessons that are taught to them are a hilarious and intriguing aspect of the story.

Meanwhile, Nostrilamus, the long dead ancestor of the Borgia, makes a deal with Astoroth, the Second Minister of the Hadean Executive. The deal is for Nostrilamus to find and acquire vast wealth while the Hadean Executive gets Nostrilamus and all of his male firstborn descendants. Nostrilamus is unnerved by this sudden change but signs the contract anyway. Needless to say, he does not become rich. It's Astoroth's fault and he has to fix his mistake before The Boss of the Hadean Executive finds out.

Back in present time, Mrs. Flora McLachlan is very surprised to discover that Titus and Pandora's little sister, Damp, has unusual magical powers --- so unusual in fact that Mrs. McLachlan quickly realizes that Damp is more competent in magic than her own mother. Mrs. McLachlan tries to conceal Damp's powers from Baci until there is more time to properly assess the special situation. Around the same time Mrs. McLachlan becomes embroiled in a mystery of her own when she seeks help through an Alarming Clock. What is its purpose?

Meanwhile, Titus receives some weird e-mail that puts a virus on his laptop. He soon discovers that the virus has made his computer evil and is sending cryptic messages --- messages that could change the course of history. Titus eventually gets Pandora's help, but will they be able to stop the near future from happening in time? And what exactly is Tarantella up to?

I thought this book was funny and delightfully gross. I haven't read PURE DEAD MAGIC or PURE DEAD WICKED yet, but PURE DEAD BRILLIANT serves as a great stand-alone book. So whether or not you have read the previous two installments, please be sure to read this one. You definitely will not think of computer viruses the same way again!

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle (SdarksideG@aol.com)