VVMBookBlog

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

This is two stories which seem to alternate, but come together magically at the end. A calico cat meets a hound dog and an unusual friendship begins. When Sabine and Puck are born to the calico cat, the four become an odd family. Gar Face is the owner of Ranger, the dog, is mean and causes tragedy to the new family. In the other story, a shape-shifting water serpent has been asleep in the Piney Woods mystical forest and is coming to life again. Although it seems like a typical animal story or a good versus evil story, it is more.

The cover is not fitting of the book. Keep in mind the old saying, “Don’t judge the book by it’s cover.”

Suck It Up by Brian Meehl

There are two types of Vampires, Loners and Leaguers. Morning McCobb is a leaguer which means he doesn’t need to subsist on human blood. He is graduating from the IVLeague which is the International Vampire League. Since he is a vampire, he will remain sixteen forever which means his life will be moving from city to city and high school to high school (the only place for a sixteen year old). Birnam has another idea. His idea is for the leaguers to “come out” and let the world know they’re vampires. He wants to use Morning as an experiment. This is how morning becomes involved with Penny, his new PR (public relations) person and her daughter Portia (coincidentally a teenager like Morning). Penny, and Portia, take Morning to various talk shows and let’s Morning prove himself as a vampire. This is when the troubles begin. Is Morning able to keep from drinking human blood and stick to his Blood Lite (protein type blood drink)? Is the country ready to acknowledge there are vampires living amongst the public? Will the Loners appreciate the Leaguers trying to “come out”?

The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman

Honor doesn’t fit in with the other ‘H’ kids in her class. Part of the reason is because her name doesn’t start with the ‘H’ sound. This is not the only reason she doesn’t fit in. Her parents have had a second child which is not OK in this new community. The corporation has taken over this community and made life better by protecting people from the changes in weather. Although Honor doesn’t fit in, she does conform and is learning what the corporation wants her to learn in school. When she meets a boy Helix, she soon realizes his parents are nonconformists like hers, but his parents are taken away making him an orphan. What will happen to Honor and her little brother?

This book is recommended to those who liked City of Ember and/or The Giver. It is a futuristic novel.

Mastepiece by Elise Broach

Marvin is a beetle who lives in James’ house. Although the two do not know each other at the beginning of the novel, they become a set of unusual friends, boy and bug. James’ mother is a bit overbearing as is his stepfather. His father is an artist who gives James a pen and ink set for his birthday. This is how Marvin, the beetle, enters into James’ life. This turns into a mystery concerning missing art. Readers will learn more about a famous artist (Durer) and follow the unlikely pair of friends on an adventure.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Mississippi (Mip) Beaumont is excited to be a teenager, excited to turn 13. When she turns 13, she will get her “savvy.” Her older brothers have already turned 13. Fish has the savvy of controlling water, rain and hurricanes. Rocket has control over electricity. Even their mom has the savvy to do things perfectly. Excitement grows for her party, and her savvy, until something horrible happens to Mip’s dad. Mip will not be around her entire family when her savvy comes, but maybe it will be able to help her dad. An adventure will ensue before anyone has the answers.