New TEEN Authors! New Books!

I just spent the last two days at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books!! It was, in a word, wonderful! Two whole days of meeting authors, listening to how they great their great ideas, go through the writing process, from research to publishing. I am so inspired I don't know what I want to do first...start reading , or get out a notebook and write! I just wish all of my students that love to read and write could have been there too.

I actually met three teen authors that have published books. Markelle Garbo, author of The Elf Girl, is from New Berlin. She knew she wanted to be a writer when she was in fifth grade (sound familiar anyone?). She wrote Elf Girl when she was only 16. Now a senior in high school, she has already written several more books in the series and has plans for other books. I will definitely be reading her book this summer along with several others from the festival.

Just Ella

Alyssa R

Just Ella

ISBN:0-689-82186-7

Margaret Peterson Haddix

Do you like the original Cinderella story? You know, the classic princess story- a girl escapes her evil stepmother, sweeps into the ball, wins the prince, and lives happily ever after. Right? Wrong! In Just Ella, a country girl is a servant to her evil stepmother, and she wants to make a living in life. So, she goes to the ball in search of someone who will employ her as a tutor. A strange man asks her to dance, and, as it turns out, he’s the prince! Now Ella is living the sweet life at the castle. Until she has to learn boring princess lessons. This leads her to a harsh awakening, she love the prince! So, she tells the prince that and they get into a little tussle. That lands her in the dungeon until the wedding, so she won’t cause anymore trouble. Will Ella be able to escape before the wedding?

This fiction story is full of Ella’s trying adventures. You’ll have to read the book to see what I mean. One of this book’s many strengths is that it can relate to many readers. I mean, wouldn’t you ( if you’re a girl) like to marry a handsome prince? Live in a life of servants waiting on you hand and foot? Would you try to escape if you find out that the prince is actually, as they say in the book, Prince Boring? The only weakness that I found in this book was that there was some words that were hard to understand.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure, romance gone wrong, comedy, and, of course, a little bit of girl power. While I was reading this book, I just could not put it down because I was wondering ,what would happen to Ella? Other books by Margaret Peterson Haddix are: Among the Hidden, Running out of time, and Leaving Fishers.

Alex Rider Ark Angel

Alex M

Alex Rider Ark Angel

Anthony Horowitz

ISBN: 0-399-24152-3

Mystery/Adventure

Do you like secret agent/spy mystery adventures? Alex Rider Ark Angel is about a 14 year old boy named Alex, who wants to be normal. No, he doesn’t shoot fire or launch missiles out of his toes. But he is a spy. When he saves a boy his age, named Paul Drevin, everything causes disorder. Paul’s dad, Nikolai Drevin, is a Russian billionaire who built the first ever space hotel, Ark Angel. He invites Alex on a vacation to Flamingo Bay to watch the launch. But soon Alex is questioning this father. Alex finds out that he has planted a bomb in Ark Angel that will blow it down at Washington. Will Alex be able to save the world? Again?

I really like how the book slowly gives you the feeling that something is wrong. Drevin took Alex to a soccer game, but something was wrong. Next minute he was captured by a group named Force Three. What I don’t like about the book is that it is not the first book in the series, so it may throw you off. It will help if you read the other ones first.

I recommend this book to people who like action packed adventures. Also mysteries and lies make this book a cliffhanger so you keep reading. Once you start the series, you won’t stop. They are remarkable books. Each one of them is an outstanding action packed adventure waiting to be read!

The Last Olympian

Chris

The Last Olympian

Rick Riordan

ISBN: 978-0-329-72209-8

Mythology

Did you ever fight a monster? In the book The Last Olympian Percy does. Percy and his army of demi-gods have a war against the Titan army in New York. During the war Percy’s brother Tyson (a Cyclops) has his brothers (more Cyclops) help them. Also Chiron Percy’s trainer gets all his brothers to help. Will they beat the Titans or will Mt.Olympus be destroyed?

I liked the action of this book it kept me on the edge of my seat. The things I dislike about this book are the dreams. They usually make no sense, or are very confusing. The author is very descriptive, and has very good hooks. I also don’t like when they turn flowers into things or the other way around.

In conclusion I recommend this book to readers 8+. I do this because it has pretty big words little kids wouldn’t know. For example Pegasus, commando, and scorched are tough words. Before you read this you should read the books before this The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titans Curse, and The battle in the Labyrinth. I hope you enjoy The Last Olympian.