The Runaways (Issues 1-18)

Author: Brian K. Vaughn

Pencils: Adrian Alphona (CAN) with Takeshi Miyazawa

Publication: [S. l.] : Dan Buckley

Publication Date: ?

ISBN: 0785118764

Pages: Unpaged

Summary: One night six teens discover that their parents are evil super-villains who have been plotting to destroy the world. When they witness their parents sacrificing a young girl, they decide to run away from home, but not before they steal some interesting items from them. The teens decide they need to try and stop their parents, but things become difficult when jealousy starts setting in and they discover that one of them is a mole. Somehow the teens must learn to harness their superpowers and survive on their own before their parents hunt them down and destroy them too.

Major Characters: Alex Wilder, Nico Minoru ("Sister Grimm"), Chase Stein ("Talkback"), Gertrude yorkes ("Arsenic"), Leslie Dean ("Lucy in the Sky"), Molly Hayes ("Bruiser")

Comments: This is a fantastic graphic novel. The Runaways has everything you would want from a comic book - cool characters, fast-paced action, neat gadgets, awesome superpowers and plenty of evil villains. Vaughn has filled the story with both conventional and un-conventional elements. The characters exhibit anarchy and angst, but also show that they are capable of humour and romance. Alphona's illustrations are first-rate. There is truly something for everyone here. Recommended for boys and girls.

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure (Graphic novel format)

Age Level: 13+

Rating: 5/5

The Merchant of Death (Pendragon Series #1)

Author: D.J. MacHale

Publication: New York : Aladdin Paperbacks

Publication Date: 2002


ISBN: 0743437314

Pages: 375

Summary: Bobby Pendragon likes his life. He has a loving family and a dog. He's a star on his school's basketball team and he just kissed the most popular girl in school. His whole world is turned upside-down though, when his Uncle Press shows up and says they need to go help some people. Suddenly his life consists of flying through flumes, running from ferocious creatures called quigs, and battling the evil Saint Dane. Bobby discovers he is a Traveller and that it is his job to help the Milago defeat the Bedoowan, who have been treating them like slaves for centuries. All Bobby wants to do is go home, but when he learns that there is much more than just the fate of a village at stake, it will take all his courage and intelligence to complete his mission.

Major Characters: Bobby Pendragon, Uncle Press, Loor (another Traveller), Mark (Bobby's best friend), Courtney (a girl from school)

Comments: I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. Many of the elements seemed unoriginal and it seemed to be targeted at pre-teens, but the book was a literal non-stop adventure. MacHale took a lot of the fantasy clichés and repackaged them so that they seemed fresh. It was neat that Bobby could still communicate with his friends on Earth when he was off in some other world. I loved the way Bobby wrote, too. It seemed like I was really reading a letter written by a 14-year-old. I recommend this book for sci-fi and fantasy fans of all ages, especially boys.

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Rating: 5/5

Age Level: 10+

CSI : Crime Scence Investigation : Secret Identity

Authors: Steven Grant, Gabriel Rodriguez, Steven Perkins

Publication: San Diego, CA : IDW Publishing

Pulication Date: 2005

ISBN: 1933239403

Pages: 122

Summary: When a tourist is found dead in a seedy motel, the CSI team is led to investigate his connection to a corpse they found at the site of an imploded casino. The case gets strange when the corpse turns out to be a man who is already dead and buried. The team must use a combination of science and creativity to solve the mystery.

Major Characters: Gil Grissom, Katherine Willows, Sarah Sidle, Warrick Brown, Nick Stokes

Comments: I found this book to be very entertaining. The full-colour panels were eye-catching and the drawings looked very much like their real-life models. The dialogue was also very well done. The writers did a great job of capturing the characters' personalities, and so they talk like they do on television. The only knock I would give to the book is that sometimes it is hard to follow the story. When there are flashbacks, or when the team is trying to imagine a sequence of events, the panels become distorted, and it is difficult to make out details. Still, fans of the tv show will love this book.

Genre: Sci-fi/Mystery (graphic novel format)

Age Level: 15+

Rating: 4/5

Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography

Author: Chester Brown

Publication: Montreal: Drawn & Quarterly Publications

Publication Date: 2003

ISBN: 1896597637

Pages: 272

Summary: This graphic novel recounts the tale of Louis Riel, a Métis from Manitoba who led a rebellion against the Canadian government in the 1800s. Seen as a hero by the French, and as a traitor by the English because of his efforts to secure land rights for the Métis, Riel is one of Canada's most intriguing characters.

Major Characters: Louis Riel, Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, Gabriel Dumont, Doc Schultz

Comments: I think this book is a great way to introduce teens to an important event in Canadian history. The dialogue and illustrations are simple, yet entertaining, and the plot moves along at a fast pace. Even though Brown paints a sympathetic picture of Riel, he includes a bibliography that will guide readers towards writers with other points of view. It quickly becomes clear that Brown has done his research, and it has resulted in a great graphic novel.

Genre: Historical Biography (Graphic Novel format)

Age Level: 15+

Rating: 4/5

Update on Alice, I Think

CTV, a television station here in Canada, has just turned the popular Alice, I Think series of books in to a sit-com. The 1/2 hour show airs on Sunday nights and closely follows the events in the books. I have only seen one episode so far, but I would recommend it. I still prefer the book, as the show is not outrageously funny, but it does make you chuckle, and you find yourself saying more than once, "Thank goodness my family isn't like that!"

The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus Trilogy Book 1)

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Publication: New York: Hyperion Paperbacks for Children

Publication Date: 2004

ISBN: 0-7868-5255-0

Pages: 462

Summary: Nathaniel, a magician's apprentice, summons up the djinni Bartimaeus and instructs him to steal the Amulet of Samarkand from the powerful magician Simon Lovelace, his rival. This action has dire consequences though, and Nathaniel spends the rest of the book trying to unravel the mess he has made.

Major Characters: Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, Simon Lovelace

Comments: Although I found this book to be very well-written, I did not like it as much as others of similar style such as Eragon or Harry Potter. The story is very original, and Bartimaeus is a funny character, but I found the story to be very dark. The whole idea of being able to summon demons creeps me out, and Nathaniel is not a likeable hero. I was still hoping he would complete his mission successfully (because I liked him more than Simon Lovelace) but I don't think anyone would say that they want to be exactly like Nathaniel. He is arrogant, rash, and impatient, and the actions he takes because of these character flaws have dire consequences. Another annoying thing about the book is that not all of the loose ends get tied up when the story finishes. Since the book is the first in a trilogy, Stroud has left some elements to carry over into the next volume, which is smart, because it makes you want to read the next book, but is bad if you are a person who likes everything wrapped up in a nice little, self-contained package. Despite all this, true fantasy fans will love the Bartimaeus series.

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 13+

Rating: 3.5/5

Eragon (Inheritance Book 1)

Author: Christopher Paolini

Publication: New York: Alfred A. Knopf

Pub. Date: 2003

ISBN: 0375826688 (trade)
0375926682 (lib bdg.)

Pages: 509

Summary: In Alagesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.

Major Characters: Eragon, Saphira (his dragon), Brom (his mentor)

Comments: Written by Paolini when he was only sixteen, this book is a fantastic masterpiece. Filled with acts of heroism, magic, and amazing creatures, Paolini has created an adventure of epic proportions. It is a rather lengthy novel, but it doesn't seem long because the action is fast paced from beginning to end. There are only two complaints I have about the story. First, Paolini has invented languages which he uses throughout. It is a little annoying to have these foreign words sprinkled through the novel when can't even pronounce them, let alone understand them. The author does provide a glossary at the end of the book, but you've already read through the story by the time you find it. Second, I didn't like how the book ended with a cliff hanger. I know Eragon is part of a trilogy, but I like books to be able to stand alone. Still, fantasy fans will consider this book a "must-have" for their collections.

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4/5

Age Level: 15+

Alice, I Think

Author: Susan Juby

Publication: Toronto: HarperTrophyCanada

Pub. Date: 2000

ISBN: 0-00-639287-3

Pages: 241

Summary: Alice is a teenager from a small Canadian town who has a unique perspective on life. After her therapist has a breakdown, Alice writes up a list of Life Goals that she wants to achieve. One of those goals includes going to public high school after having been homeschooled for most of her life. The story follows her exploits as she strives to cross goals off her list.

Major Characters: Alice, her mom

Comments: I was pleasantly surprised by this book. When I picked it up I thought it was going to be another story full of teenage angst, but it was completely the opposite. The dead-pan sarcasm and humour of Alice's first-person narrative is so funny that I found myself laughing out loud in several spots. I kept telling myself that no one could be that clueless, but that's what made the book so funny. It was also refreshing to read about a character that doesn't often appear in a leading role. So many main characters are the good-looking, athletic, popular type who seem to have it all-together. Alice doesn't have anything together, and it is fun to see how she deals with that.

Genre: Realistic fiction

Age Level: 15+

Ranking: 5/5

The Looking Glass Wars

Author: Frank Beddor

Publication: London: Egmont

Pub. Date: 2004

ISBN: 1405216476

Pages: 375

Summary: In this retelling of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, Alyss Hart is the princess of Wonderland. After her evil Aunt Redd storms the palace and kills Alyss' parents, the princess is forced to flee and winds up in 19th century London. No one believes her when she tells them who she is, and eventually she begins to doubt herself. Years later she returns to Wonderland, but her powers of imagination are severely depleted, and she is no longer sure that she can defeat her Aunt and win back her throne. With the help of some loyal subjects though, she leads her troops into battle and the Looking Glass Wars begin.

Major Characters: Alyss Hart, Aunt Redd, Dodge (Alyss' friend), Hatter Madigan (captain of the secret service)

Comments: Beddor has taken the Alice in Wonderland stories and turned them on their heads by challenging all the conventions and completely reinventing the characters. This is not the Disney version of the story. It is a very violent book and deals with some deep issues such as revenge, urban decay, and the power of imagination and creativity. At the same time, it is a fun book to read that is filled with adventure, so you do not feel like you are reading something really heavy. I loved the originality of the story, and the new roles that Beddor created for familiar characters such as the Cheshire Cat, the Madd Hatter, and Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee. Highly recommended.

Genre: Fantasy / Revised fairy tale

Age Level: 14+

Rating: 5/5

Airborn

Author: Kenneth Oppel CAN

Publication: Toronto: HarperCollins

Pub. Date: 2004

ISBN: 0006392598

Pages: 321

Summary: Matt Cruse is a crew member on board the Aurora, a world-travelling airship, when he rescues the pilot of an air balloon who had been attacked. Before the pilot dies, he tells Matt about the stange beasts he saw flying in the sky. A year later his granddaughter, Kate deVries, books a passage on the Aurora, determined to prove that her granfather was telling the truth. Matt is taken by her spirit and together they get mixed up in several adventures. When the Aurora is boarded by pirates, it takes all of their ingeniuty and courage to fight off the pirates and prevent the airship from being detroyed.

Major Characters: Matt Cruse, Kate deVries, Capt. Walken (of the Aurora), Szpirglas (the pirate captain)

Comments: This book was so hyped when it was released that I was afraid to read it for fear that it would not live up to expectations. I needn't have worried. This fast-paced adventure has something for everyone, including daring heroics, humour, and even a little romance. An enjoyable read for both boys and girls, this book is certainly deserving of the Governor-General's Award that it won.

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Age Level: 13+

Rating: 5/5

Peter and the Starcatchers

Authors: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Publication: New York: Hyperion Books for Children

Pub. Date: 2004

Illustrator: Greg Call

ISBN: 0786854456

Pages: 451

Summary: In this "prequel" to J.M. Barrie's Adventures of Peter Pan, Barry and Pearson tell how Peter came to live on Neverland and never grow up. As the orphaned Peter sails toward his new home he meets Molly, whose father guards a great secret. Together, they battle fierce storms, vicious pirates, and terrifying monsters in order to protect that secret.

Major Characters: Peter, Molly, Black Stache (a pirate captain)

Comments: Even though this novel was written as a retelling of the Peter Pan story, the plot could have easily stood on its own. The authors have taken great liberties with details of the story and have made it completely theirs. They answer all the burning questions such as who the lost boys are, how Peter learned to fly, and how Capt. Hook got into a run-in with that crocodile. This is a highly entertaining novel, and I wouldn't be surprised if it got turned into a movie at some point. My only criticism is that the was not as funny as I expected it to be, (considering who wrote it), but I still strongly recommend it.

Genre: Revised fairy tale / Fantasy

Age Level: 10-15

Rank: 4/5

What My Mother Doesn't Know

Author: Sanya Sones

Publication: New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pub. Date: 2001

ISBN: 0689841140

Pages: 259

Summary: 15-year-old Sophie describes her relationships with family, friends, and a series of boyfriends as she searches for Mr. Right.

Major Characters: Sophie, her mother, Grace and Rachel (Sophie's friends), Murphy (a classmate)

Comments: Typical hormonal, teenage angst, but with a bit of humour. The book's originality and main drawing point comes from the form in which it is written. The story is told in verse, and the poetry changes according to Sophie's mood. Each poem describes a new event or emotion she is experiencing. The book is very quick, and easy to read, yet it is still entertaining. As such, I recommend it as good choice for reluctant readers.

Genre: Realistic fiction

Age Level: 14+

Rating: 4/5

Chasing Vermeer

Author: Blue Balliett

Illustrator: Brett Hellquist

Publication: New York: Scholastic Press

Pub. Date: 2004

ISBN: 0439372941

Pages: 254

Summary: When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.

Major Characters: Petra Andalee, Calder Pillay, Ms. Isabel Hussey (their teacher), Mrs. Louise Sharpe (their neighbour)

Comments: This a highly unusual, yet entertaining book. Although the main characters are a little young for a traditional young adult novel, they act a lot older than they are. The story has a little bit of everything - supernatural phenomena, mysterious letters, and a daring art theft. It is more intelligent plot than most, and opportunities are given for the reader to decipher codes and to look for patterns in pictures. It is a very interactive book, and therefore, difficult to put down.

Genre: Mystery

Age Level: 10+

Rating: 5/5

Daniel Half-human and the Good Nazi

Author: David Chotjewitz (trans. by Doris Orgel)

Publication: New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Pub. Date: 2004

ISBN: 0689857470

Pages: 298

Summary: In 1933, best friends Armin and Daniel admire Hitler and want nothing more than to join the Hitler youth. As anti-Semitism bouys Hitler to power though, life in their beloved Hamburg becomes nightmarish. The situation becomes even worse when Daniel learns that he is half-Jewish, and Armin has to choose between his friend and the Nazis. Interspersed chapters reveal details about Daniel and Armin's reunion in 1945.

Major Characters: Daniel Krushaar, Armin Hillmann

Comments: In this book Chotjewitz does an amazing job of illustrating how the Jews went from being respected members of society to being treated like animals. To do this, he successfully builds the tension between friends and family members. Although the story has some pretty tense moments, this is not one for teens who are looking for high adventure and intrigue. The appeal of the story lies in the psychological battles that each character has to endure. Selected as a Batchelder Honor Book.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Level: 14+

Rating: 4/5

The Courtesan's Daughter

Author: Priscilla Galloway

Publication: Toronto: Penguin Canada

Pub. Date: 2002

ISBN: 0-14-3015044

Pages: 259

Summary: Phano is a 14-year-old free citizen of Athens, but her stepmother's former master, Phrynion, says she is a slave who belongs to him. One day he kidnaps her and tries to sell her to an acquaintance. Theo, the young nobleman, listens to her pleas and agrees to take her case to court. During the legal proceedings Theo and Phano fall in love, but Phrynion refuses to give up without a fight. Phano's way of life and everything she thought she knew about herself are brought into question.

Major Characters: Phano, Nera (her stepmother), Theo, Phrynion

Comments: An exciting plot, combined with Phano's blunt, wise-beyond-her-years personal narrative, make this book an enjoyable look at Ancient Greece, although it will be more appealing for younger readers.

Genre: Historical fiction

Age Level: 12+

Ranking: 3/5

Re-open-ed Book

Well, after a brief hiatus, I am back to add some more posts to this blog. I don't think anyone actually reads it, but I find it fun, so if there are one or two of you who have managed to find this site, kudos to you. Here are some more reviews for you to read. I have also decided to introduce a new element to the blog, which is a ranking system. It will help you to better determine which books I liked the best. The rankings fall from 1 (low) to 5 (high) on the chocolate scale. What is the chocolate scale, you ask? See the legend below:

1. Dollar-store chocolate: Enough to satisfy a craving but tastes more like wax than chocolate.
2. Baker's chocolate: Tastes pretty bitter until you bake it with something.
3. Hershey's Chocolate Bar: Good chocolate taste, but pretty plain.
4. Swiss chocolate: Excellent taste. A leader among its peers.
5. Chocolate ice-cream brownie sundae with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce: A treat with all the extras that make it truly amazing.

Hopefully that's clear enough. As before, my entries will continue to be sporadic, but I have built up enough entries now that my postings should be fairly frequent. Enjoy!