Zac & Mia

Betts, A. J. Zac & Mia. 2014. 289p. ISBN 9780544331648. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Zac has had leukemia for a long time. Enough to have undergone several rounds of treatment at a specialized hospital in Perth, Australia. Back in the oncology ward for marrows transplant, Zac has nothing but time on his hands as he can’t leave his room for 28 days. A man of statistics, Zac knows that the odds of his survival are low, less than 50%. But he’s a trooper, and he doesn’t want to disappoint his family. So he soldiers on. He knows everyone’s routine, and has met most of the patients on the ward.

When a new patient moves in Room 2, six centimeters from the wall that separates his Room 1, Zac is mildly interested. When he discovers that it is a girl about his age, he becomes intrigued. She blasts Beyoncé through her speakers, and, after the thirty-ninth time, Zac has enough. He pounds on the wall, and is surprised when she knocks back. Soon the two of the develop a relationship through Facebook, knocks, and exchanged messages. The end of her treatment means she gets to go home, while Zac stays at the hospital. Upon her return, he learns that her name is Mia.

Mia, for her part, discovered a localized tumor on her ankle. She receives chemotherapy treatments which are ineffective and she eventually loses her leg below the knee. She had been looking forward to a formal dance with her friends and her boyfriend, but now she’s bitter and lost. Who could possibly love a cripple and cancer survivor like her?

As they both try to move on from their most recent experiences, they can’t forget each other. As they navigate recovery, they realize that they mean more to each other than friends, but that facing truths about the odds of survival and the impact of cancer will be the greatest battle of their lives. Fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars will appreciate Zac and Mia’s special relationship and the measures they take to fight against their disease.

Tournament Trouble

Chiang, Sylv, with art by Connie Choi. Tournament Trouble. Book 1 of the Cross Ups series. 2018. 188p. ISBN 978-1-77321-008-7. Available at FIC CHI on the library shelves.

Jaden loves video games, especially the Cross Ups franchise, but his Taiwanese mother finds it too violent and does not let him play in the house. His older brother Jay and him sneak games when their parents are out working, and they have to be careful not to get caught. Now in seventh grade, Jaden and his two best friends Devesh and Hugh are fans of Cross Ups, and they play as much as they can. Jaden is very good, good enough that when he defeats one of the best players in an epic game, he receives an invitation to play in the city’s Top Tiers Tournament, with a $2,000 prize for the best Cross Ups player.

Cali shares a duplex with Jaden. They have lived next door to each other since they were born, and, being of ethnic Chinese heritage, Cali gets along splendidly with Jaden’s mother. But Cali’s mother is sick, and she ends up in the hospital. She will need to stay in a wheelchair for a few months, and because their house has four steps and they can’t afford a ramp, Cali will need to go live with her father in Montréal. Jaden loves Cali like a sister, but recently his friends have started pointing out that there may be more there than he thinks. The three of them are also the target of two bullies in their math class, and the measures taken by their math teacher to solve this problem only make things worse.

As the tournament nears, Jaden has to figure out how he can attend without his parents knowing that not only does he play violent video games, but he’s really good at it too. And that $2,000 would be perfect as it would pay for a ramp for Cali’s mother, and she wouldn’t have to move so far away. With the pressure mounting, can Jaden triumph in the T3 tournament and help himself and his friends?

Sage Alexander and the Hall of Nightmares

Copling, Steve. Sage Alexander and the Hall of Nightmares. Book 1 of the Sage Alexander series. 2017. 416p. ISBN 9781612549422. Available at FIC COP on the library shelves.

Sage has heard all his life from Leah, the fairy that guards him, that he is the boy of prophecy, who will save humanity from the perils of the seven Princes of Hell, also known as the seven deadly sins of envy, greed, gluttony, lust, pride, sloth, and wrath. Unfortunately for him, no one else in the world sees Leah. Growing up was thus very hard, with Sage constantly talking with someone his mother, father, and brother Nick could not see. Thinking him delusional, Sage had to undergo treatments and eventually had to deny that Leah even existed. Despite her best efforts to train him, Leah has thus far failed to adequately prepare the boy for the role he is called to play.

Sage knows he is not alone in the world. There are others like him, members of the Council, who seek to vanquish the Princes. But he has never met any of them. Most descendants of angels and humans relationships possess one Trait, a power they can use to defeat the dark hordes. A few are blessed with two Traits, while only one or two individuals throughout history have had three Traits. Sage will eventually have all of them. Right now he has Pathfinder, the ability to track and see Where the Dark ones have travelled, and Fighting Arts, which make him a deadly sword fighter. However, Sage has not taken his training seriously, and has been slacking the last few years.

His father has been working on a large business deal and has been absent for most of the year, creating marital strains and harming his relationship with his kids. All he can talk about is this deal, that will set up his family financially. When he returns from one such trip, Sage is startled to see his face turning golden, and small wings sprouting from his back. Suddenly Sage realizes that he has just acquired Clarity, the ability to see clearly the Dark Ones and their influences. His father clearly is under the sway of Mammon, Prince of Greed. All of the tales that Leah have told him are true, and now Sage is unprepared to protect his family. When people around him are revealed to also work for the Council, Sage is assuaged that he is not going crazy, but none of them are willing to help him save his father. Alone, except for his guardian fairy, Sage decides to embark on a quest to find the thirty-two Council members who have disappeared in the last thousand years. Saving them from the Dark Ones would provide him with an army to assist him. Yet the road is fraught with dangers, and ultimately Sage will be the one who must confront Mammon in a battle only one will survive...

Julius Caesar

Baum, Margaux and James Thorne. Julius Caesar. Part of the Leaders of the Ancient World series. 2017. 112p. ISBN 978-1-5081-7248-2. Available at B CAE on the library shelves.

No ancient Roman is more well-known than Julius Caesar. Military strategist extraordinaire, a man of letters and a master politician, Julius Caesar remains a controversial figure. Coming from two ancient Roman families, Caesar felt destined for greatness and pursued the experiences necessary to climb the ranks of the Roman Republic. Captured by pirates, he scoffed at their ransom request and demanded they ask for more. His various appointments enabled him to build a base of support among Rome’s populace, while his successful military campaigns in Gaul and elsewhere endeared him to his troops.

Leading several legions, Caesar marched on Rome and fought Pompey’s troops in yet another Roman civil war. Chasing his foe around the Mediterranean, he arrived in Egypt and met Cleopatra. Returning to Rome in triumph following his victories over his enemies, Caesar reformed the calendar, declares himself dictator, and began the transformation of Rome from a Republic to an Empire. However, Rome remained bitterly divided, and Caesar’s many enemies conspired together to assassinate him in the Senate.

This book illustrates Caesar’s amazing life and his oversized ambitions. Fans of Rome and of history will enjoy reading about one of the most famous historical person.

Titles in the Leaders of the Ancient World include:

• Julius Caesar
• Cleopatra

• Augustus

• Cicero

• Nero

• Hadrian

• Constantine

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 3

Mochizuki, Jun. The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 3. 2017. 239. ISBN 978-0-316-47168-8. Available in the Graphic Novels section of the library.

Noé and Vanitas barely survived the masked ball, thanks to Lord Ruthven’s intervention. As his guests, the two of them are protected from vengeful vampires. Lord Ruthven and Vanitas share a common interest in solving the issue of the curse-bearers. Noé remains puzzled by Vanitas and by his actions. Is Vanitas mad that Noé saved him, or is he mad that he wasn’t able to save himself? Vanitas commits a faux-pas on purpose by insulting the Vampire Queen in front of Lord Ruthven, revealing that Grand Duke Lucas is indeed the Vampire Queen. Through this action Vanitas earns himself a powerful enemy, and both he and Noé are exiled from Altus.

Back in Paris, Noé and Vanitas meet with Master Parks and report their action, only to be informed that several curse-bearers have vanished, kidnapped by the Chasseurs, an organization of humans fighting for the Church and dedicated to killing all vampires. Vanitas decides to investigate the Chasseurs’ presence in the Paris catacombs, and Noé comes along, ignoring Vanitas’ requests to be left alone. Disguised as priests, they explore the tunnel system, only to stumble upon one of the six Captains of the Chasseurs, who has been looking for Vanitas. Noé and Vanitas manage to escape, but as they are being chased by the Captain and reinforcements, they feel observed ...

The Dream

McLay, R.K. The Dream. Book 1 of the Rahtrum Chronicles series. 2016. 328p. ISBN 978-1-927083-37-6. Available at FIC MCL on the library shelves.

For thousands of years, Nature has been in balance and Rahtrum, the Great Binder, has ensured that the world functions properly. But the rise of the Cargoth, two-legged animals who lack fur except on their heads and who have developed large objects and created gashes in the land has threatened this balance. The environment is deteriorating, and the speed of change is increasing.

Up past the Arctic Circle, caribou are spending the winter months in their grazing range south of the Beaufort Sea. Boo and his mother, Taiga, are part of a large herd. A yearling, Boo is spending his first winter away from the Sea, but he looks forward to returning to the calving grounds, a migration the herd makes every year. For a caribou, Boo is very inquisitive, and his mother knows that he is different from the other in the herd, and even from herself.

When Rahtrum appears to Boo and his mother, it is to entrust the young caribou with a mission. He must find a small flower that blooms but one day in a secret location unknown to all. By consuming this flower, Boo can become Rahtrum’s champion and rights the balance, making the Cargoth understand the value of the environment around them.

Unfortunately for Boo, however, a dark and violent enemy is also bent on acquiring the flower for his own purposes. Watched by spies but protected by an unlikely alliance of gnomes, fairies, eagles and wolves, Boo and his mother travel through the immense Yukon wilderness, seeking answers to Rahtrum’s quest. Upon his success depends the fate of all animals and of Nature itself.

On Two Feet and Wings

Kazerooni, Abbas. On Two Feet and Wings. 2014. 256p. ISBN 9781477820377. Available at 955.05 on the library shelves.

It is the mid 1980s, and Iran and Iraq are fighting a bloody war. Suffering heavy losses and international condemnation despite having been attacked by Iraq, Iran resorts to conscripting tens of thousands of boys to serve at the front in what Western journalists referred to as human waves. Similar to soldiers during the First World War, these waves are mowed down by machine gun and artillery.

Abbas is nine years old, and enjoys playing soccer with his friends. His family was very rich under the Shah, but since the Islamic Revolution, times have been hard. Their mansion is mostly empty, as furniture and artwork have been sold to keep the family afloat. When Iran begin recruiting twelve-year-old boys, Abbas’ father and mother decide it is time to leave. But as a supposed enemy of the regime for his previous support of the Shah, Abbas’ father is not allowed to leave Iran. Abbas will travel with his mother to Turkey, and hope to secure a visa to the United Kingdom to live with Abbas’ uncle.

Pretending to be sick, Abbas stays home for more than a week as the family sells its last possessions. At the airport, Abbas’ mother is not allowed to board the plane, but Abbas can, so his father tells him to travel and makes arrangements with a friend to pick up Abbas.

Unfortunately the friend shows up, gives Abbas some instructions, and leaves him alone in Turkey, without much knowledge of the country or even of the language. What follows is remarkable. Through the goodness of people’s hearts, Abbas is rescued from his situation. A kind-hearted taxi driver helps him find a cheap hotel. Abbas is inventive and driven, and he manages to persuade the hotel owner to begin several endeavors that generate income for Abbas and for the hotel. He also finds employment running parcels for a jeweler in the marketplace. Through it all, Abbas spends time at the British Consulate, hoping that his mother will be able to join him as he attempts to secure a visa and finally get out of Turkey.

A powerful memoir, Abbas’ story describes his hopes and fears about being separated from his family and his desire to impress his father and be a success himself. Fans of The Red Umbrella and of A Night Divided will appreciate Abbas’ ingenuity and adaptation in the face of overwhelming circumstances.

Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood

Brashares, Ann. Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood. Book 4 of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. 2007. 384p. ISBN 9780385729369. Available at FIC BRA on the library shelves.

When the last summer ended, the sisterhood headed in different directions, each girl attending college in a different state. Now as their first year of college ends, the girls find themselves back in Maryland for a few days, all, that is, except Carmen who is heading to a theater festival in Vermont. With Bridget flying to Turkey for an archeological dig, and Tibby working in a video store and taking summer classes in New York City, Lena finds herself the only of the four friends left in town. Despite the fact that they can’t get together, they decide to continue their traveling pants ritual for another summer. The pants, however, have a different idea and will attempt to get the girls back together.

In the concluding book of the series, we see all four girls grow and truly become adults, with difficult decisions to make. However, we are reminded that strong bonds and family are what you create, and that in times of needs friends are always there. And even though friends may be apart most of the time, they remain together forever.

In Defense of a Liberal Education

Zakaria, Fareed. In Defense of a Liberal Education. 2015. 204p. ISBN 978-0-393-24768-8. Available at 370.11 ZAK on the library shelves.

In this book, Zakaria argues that over the last decade, public education has been negatively transformed following the implementation of No Child Left Behind and Common Core, with their emphasis on testing and on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at the expense of liberal arts such as English and history. As a result, the ability to write clearly and express a concise and convincing argument has diminished. These abilities, he argues, are timeless and will continue to have value and currency even as the STEM subjects themselves become supplanted by more advanced vocational knowledge and are replaced by completely different skills. For example, the current focus on coding in schools arises because of the high demand for computer coders in Silicon Valley and elsewhere in the economy, but the computing language and methods being taught are already becoming obsolete. Schools are thus preparing students for jobs that most likely will not exist in ten to twenty years.

Thus, Zakaria argues, it is time to return to what a liberal education stood for, including the ability to think for oneself and synthesize information and knowledge, to continuously learn, and to master the export and applicability of skills to multiple tasks. Moreover, liberal education excels at fostering creativity, something that is often absent in STEM curriculum, and with the rise of online platforms the ability to pursue a liberal education is poised to become ubiquitous and prevalent throughout the world.

Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 6

Asagiri, Kafka. Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 6. 2018. 163 p. ISBN 978-0-316-46818-3. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

The three-way conflict between the Armed Detective Agency, the Guild, and the Port Mafia heats up as each group attempts to pit the other two against each other. Ryuunousuke of the Port Mafia is involved in the fight of his life against the Scarlet Letter, and both of them feature a similar ability. The Guild’s Grapes of Wrath and Lovecraft plan on capturing the Armed Detective Agency’s clerical assistants and use them as bait, but are thwarted by the Agency’s Matchless Poet after Chuuya Nakahara, of the Port Mafia, reveals some useful intelligence to the Agency. At the same time, Dazai seeks the Port Mafia, only to be offered the opportunity to return to its leadership. Will he abandon his friends and rejoin his old outfit? As perils grow for all sides, and as each group maneuvers through alliances and betrayals, lives hang in the balance ...

The story continues in Bungo Stray Dog, Vol. 7.

Innocent Heroes: Stories of Animals in the First World War

Brouwer, Sigmund. Innocent Heroes: Stories of Animals in the First World War. 2017. 198p. ISBN 978-1-101-91846-3. Available at FIC BRO on the library shelves.

Jake York finds himself in the trenches of World War I, wondering how he got here. Wanting to leave his farm and see the world, he joined the Canadian army and left Winnipeg, but could not have imagined how his life would be forever changed by the war. He met Thomas, a First Nations Cree from Northern Saskatchewan, and Charlie, a rich kid from Toronto. Their friendship was forged in the fires and bombardments of the war. All three of them survived and returned home, but they owed their lives to the animals who helped them bring an end to what had been at the time the bloodiest conflict in human history.

From dogs who rescue wounded men in the no-man’s-land between both sides and warned against chemical attacks to cats that kill the large rats that festered in the trenches, to the horses which carried ammunitions and allowed reconnaissance work to the birds that delivered messages, animals played a vital role in keeping the conflict going.

This book adroitly combines Jake and his friends’ story with those of the animals that help them win World War I. It also incorporates nonfiction sections that describe the inspiration for each animal, as well as specific information relating to the Canadian army’s participation on the Allies side. Fans of War Horse will enjoy reading about other animals and their experience during the Great War.

The Pact

Lewis, Amanda West. The Pact. 2016. 352p. ISBN 978-0-88995-544-8. Available at FIC LEW on the library shelves

The Armistice of 1918 ended the First World War and held Germany responsible. Over the following decade the country managed to get back on its feet, but the Great Depression wiped out the economy and led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. Crushing poverty plagued the country and allowed Hitler to first become Chancellor, then assume the post of President. Now the Nazis are the only game in town, and war is brewing on the horizon.

Peter Gruber lives in Hamburg, a large port city. Very resourceful, Peter has created a black market trading network where he acquires objects from sailors and trades them to locals, earning enough money to allow his mother and him a very modest living in a rundown apartment building. When Germany invades Poland on September 1st, 1939, the country is at first elated. Progress is happening, and the war is quickly settled in Germany’s favor. Other adventures on the Western Front in 1940 lead to the defeat of France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and Norway. Germany is flush with victories, but the lives of ordinary citizens does not improve. Peter continues to go to school, and is enrolled in the Hitler Youths, but his trade has dried up as no more ships come into the harbor.

Then the British begin fighting back. Bombers attack Hamburg and bathe the city in flames. Suddenly Germany feels more vulnerable than it did. Children are evacuated, and his entire class is taken to Southern Germany. Over the course of the next three years, Peter and his friends will move around the country, sometimes returning to Hamburg but then leaving again as bombing campaigns continue to attack the city. Not allowed to voice their opinions of the regime, the teens are caught in a downward spiral. Forced to join the S.S., they are shipped to Denmark in late 1944 to complete their training. As the Second World War careens towards its bloody end, Peter finds himself caught between his supposed allegiance to a system that caused Germany’s destruction, and his desire to be free. With armies closing on both side, how can Peter survive this apocalypse?

Based on a true story, The Pact provides an intriguing look at what it was like to be a German child at the beginning of the war and how one’s formative years are spent living under a dictatorial regime. Any reader interested in finding out how the German population felt during the war or how teens’ daily lives were affected will appreciate the insights this book provides.

This is where the World Ends

Zhang, Amy. This is where the World Ends. 2016. 304p. 391 mins. ISBN 978-0-06-242141-8. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Micah’s life changed forever when Janie moved in the house next door. Their bedroom windows were so close to each other that it was easy for them to move from one to the next. They immediately became best friends, and did everything together. Except in school, where they had to keep their friendship a secret at Janie’s insistence. Now in their senior year of high school, no one knows that Micah and Janie are best friends. Micah is shy, but Janie is exuberant. Micah doesn’t talk much, but Janie talks for the two of them. Their favorite place of refuge is the quarry, where they go every Thursday after school to spend time by the foot of the Metaphor, a large pile of concassed rocks left over from excavations years ago.

At the beginning of the year, for their English senior project they must choose a theme. Micah chooses the Apocalypse. Janie chooses Angels. Both joke that the quarry and the Metaphor is where the world will end. When Micah wakes up in the hospital in November, he doesn’t know why he’s here, and he remembers nothing of what happened. He keeps texting Janie, but she never writes back. Did she go to Nepal like she wanted?

Told in alternative chapters from Janie and Micah’s point of view, the story is divided in the before Micah’s memory lost, with Janie as the narrator, and the after, told by Micah. Struggling to rebuild his life and remember what happened, Micah is at a loss as to why Janie would leave him alone. Can he retrieve enough of his memories to finally piece together what happened on that fateful day where he was hurt and Janie disappeared from his life?

Fans of dark emotional stories that don’t end well will appreciate the issues that plague both teens. For a similar read, take a look at All the Bright Places or Zoe Letting Go.

Victoria: Portrait of a Queen

Reef, Catherine. Victoria: Portrait of a Queen. 2017. 246p. ISBN 0-544-71614-0. Available as an eBook from Overdrive.

One of the youngest queens in Britain’s history, Victoria had a miserable childhood sequestered with her mother. At her birth, Victoria stood far removed from the throne, but royal deaths in rapid succession meant that by the age of eighteen and on the passing of her uncle, she ascended the throne. For the next sixty-three years, Victoria would guide Britain through profound changes that would undermine the very idea of monarchy, and her name would become synonymous with the era.

Victoria had nine children with her husband, Prince Albert of Germany, before his untimely death. Her children all married European royalty, weaving a tapestry of bonds between the various ruling houses of the continent. During her long reign Victoria served many Prime Ministers, and often found herself at odds with their national and international policies. Several intrigues and scandals marred her reign, threatening the fate of the monarchy, but she managed to retain her importance and significance and left a better royal house.

During her reign, the second longest for a British monarch, Victoria witnessed the arrival of the steam engine, the development of modern weapons and warships, the unification of Germany and Italy in national states, the extension of the voting franchise to more British males, and the expansion of Britain’s colonial empire. As a figure, she represented the country and carried on her royal duties effectively. Fans of history will appreciate Victoria’s skills in navigating a changing world and remaining relevant.

Black Butler, vol. 13

Toboso, Yana. Black Butler, Vol 13. 2013. 167p. ISBN 978-0-316-24429-9. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Undeads roam the Campania as the ship is slowly sinking after striking an iceberg in Black Butler, Vol. 12. Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian are on the ship and are chasing Ryan, the inventor of the process that allows a body without a soul to return to the land of the living. Meanwhile, Elizabeth reminisces on her growing up as a defender who had to pretend to be weak for Ciel. Her strength is revealed when she defeats undeads attacking her and other passengers. Sebastian’s transition from a devil to a butler in the service of Ciel Phantomhive is also explored.

Phantomhive and Sebastian find that Ryan’s invention has been hijacked by a member of the Aurora Society, who hopes to raise an army of the undead and crown himself Kaiser of  a renewed world. Along with this madman is the Undertaker, who is revealed to have been a former Death Scythe himself. With three Death Scythes, Phantomhive and his devilish butler have their hands full dealing with this triple threat ...

The story continues in Black Butler, Vol. 14.

13 Treasures

Harrison, Michelle. 13 Treasures. 2010. 355p. 478 mins. ISBN 0-316-04148-3. Available both at FIC HAR on the shelves of the library and as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Tanya is blessed (or cursed, depending on how she feels) with the second sight, the ability to see beings from the fairy world that have crossed over to the human world and dwell among us. Ever since she could speak, she’s been trying to tell the world about the fairies that surround her, to no avail. No one believes her, and the fairies always exact their revenge by playing mean tricks on her.

Now a teen, Tanya is getting into more trouble at home as fairies discover yet one more diary she has been keeping. When her mother finds her bedroom wrecked, and with Tanya once again unable to explain what happened, she decides it’s time for Tanya to live with Florence, her grandmother for a while. Elvesden Manor is a large country house on the edge of Hangman’s Wood, in the middle of nowhere. The woods are filled with deep holes, referred to as catacombs, and many a person have fallen to their death. Tanya remembers the woods and the manor being filled with fairies, and she shudders at the thought of going back. Aside from Florence, the manor has three other human residents: Fabian, a boy her age; Warwick, Fabian’s father and the groundskeeper, and Amos, Fabian’s crazy grandfather.

The fairies at Elvesden Manor are not happy to see Tanya again, but on her first day she discovers a book about fairies in the house’s library, and an old newspaper clipping that talks about the disappearance of Morwenna Bloom over fifty years ago. Warned not to wander in the woods, Tanya and Fabian nonetheless enter them when they pursue Oberon, Tanya’s dog. Afraid that Warwick, who is out hunting in the woods, will shoot the dog, they try to follow it but become hopelessly lost. When they are found by a girl about their age wearing a green outfit, Tanya realize that Morwenna is stuck in the fairy world and needs help escaping.

But as the fairies continue their campaign against her, Tanya will need allies. Whom can she trust with her secret of second sight?