The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

Pages: 255
Intended Audience: Mature Teens
Genre: Real life / Mental health issues
Notes for Parents: Some mild language; deals with mature subject matter

The Back Cover

When Adam meets Robyn, he is drawn hopelessly, desperately to her almost before he can take a breath. From her soot-black-lashes to eyes the colour of an angry sky, she is every teenage Romeo’s dream come true. But when you’re almost fifteen and the everyday problems of dealing with divorced parents and step-siblings are complicated by the challenges of coping with obsessive-compulsive disorder, it’s hard to imagine yourself falling in love. How can you have a “normal” relationship when your life is anything but normal? How can you protect someone else when you can’t even protect yourself? And then there’s the small matter of those threatening letters Adam’s mother has started to receive…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is the winner of the 2013 Governor General Literary Award for Children’s Text and the CBC Bookie Award. It was also named one of Quill & Quire’s Best Books of 2013.

What’s good?

This is a complex and heartfelt story with great characters, a strong plot, and an even pace. Good use of imagery and dialogue punctuate a sophisticated look at OCD and other mental health issues in teens. Themes of brokenness and bravery are explored with the help of humor, mystery, and a little romance. I like the inclusion of religion as a tool, not a cure. I also love that the story didn’t end with “a cure.” Mental health is a matter of balance and balance can be lost and gained at any moment.
Best Part: Stones and Thor.

What isn’t good?

I’m not sure the characters will be relatable to the average teen, but it certainly never hurts to step into someone else’s shoes. The romance is a little weak.
Worst part: Uh, does anyone else think Sweetie needs therapy, too?

Recommendation þþþþo

Despite the complex storyline, it was a fairly easy read. The main character was likeable and sympathetic and the supporting cast was fun. The mystery of the letters kept the story moving forward nicely and the end, while not terribly surprising, was handled well. Definitely recommended.

Toten, Teresa. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2013.

Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler

Pages: 313

Intended Audience: Mature Tweens & Teens
Genre: Fantasy
Notes for Parents: Despite being intended for a younger audience, there is violence and graphic scenes that may not be suitable for some tweens.

The Back Cover

Hopper is an ordinary pet-shop mouse—until he escapes. Soon he finds himself deep within the untamed Brooklyn transit tunnels and in Atlantia, a glorious utopian rat civilization.
But all is not as it seems. Hopper misses the siblings he lost in the escape. Atlantia is constantly threatened by rebels who wish to bring the city to its knees. And there are cats everywhere, cats who leave the citizens unharmed…and no one can seem to answer why.
Soon Hopper is caught in the crosshairs of an epic battle, and as the clashes rage, Hopper learns terrible, extraordinary secrets. Deadly secrets about Atlantia. Painful secrets about his friends.
And one powerful secret about himself.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:
This is the first book in a series. The story includes several drawings by children’s illustrator Vivienne To.

What’s good?

This swashbuckling, fantasy adventure is fast-paced and filled with action. It has a solid plot with some nice twists and turns, plenty of tension, and genuine emotion. While excellent writing and good characterization make this a quick and easy read, the story has surprisingly sophisticated themes that include complex ideas about courage, deception, and doing what’s right.
Best Part: Pup! (and great cover.)

What isn’t good?

The graphic violence was unexpected in a story that is clearly geared to pre-teens. (However, it’s not that graphic compared to today’s video games, so perhaps I’m a little out of touch.) I was also frustrated with how gullible Hopper was throughout the story. He constantly missed cues and misinterpreted signs that he should have picked up on considering he’s the one that so quickly figured out the subway system. It definitely affected the pacing in some places.
Worst part: Why is Pinkie so mean?

Recommendation þþþþo

I liked it! I’ve never been a fan of stories about animals with human qualities, but this one sucked me in. I liked Hopper from the start, despite his obvious meekness. Although several subplots proved predictable, the fast pace and loads of action kept me reading. Definitely recommended.

Fiedler, Lisa. Mouseheart. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2014.

My Life as a Joke by Janet Tashjian

Pages: 252
Intended Audience: Tweens
Genre: Real life
Notes for Parents: There is nothing for parents to be concerned about.

The Back Cover

[There was no description on the back cover. The following description is modified from Goodreads.com.]
Derek Fallon discovers all the angst that comes with being twelve—he just wants to feel grown up, but life gets in the way with a series of mishaps that make him look like a baby. Why isn’t being in middle school as great as Derek imagined? Thankfully, with a little help from his friends—and, ironically, a Toys for Tots fundraiser—things seem like they could start shaping up at last.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the fourth book in the My Life series, but stands on its own quite well. The illustrator is the author’s son, Jake.

What’s good?

It’s difficult not to like Derek, the main character, in this engaging and witty story of a middle school boy. Great characterization and a genuine young male voice make the story easy to read and every entertaining. The plot is simple and moves at a good pace, telling an effortless tale with a great message. I like the level of parental involvement. Most stories tend to ignore the parents or vilify them.
Best Part: Some of the illustrations in the margins crack me up!

What isn’t good?

Derek’s string of bad luck gets a little hard to believe for a time, but I like the way it all worked out.
Worst part: None.

Recommendation þþþþo

Charming, funny, and super easy-to-read. Everyone from reluctant readers to people just looking for a quick story should enjoy this. Highly recommended.

Tashjian, Janet. My Life as a Joke. New York: Christy Ottaviano Books, 2014.

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

Pages: 438
Intended Audience: Tweens
Genre: Fantasy / Fairy Tales
Notes for Parents: There is nothing for parents to be concerned about.

The Back Cover

Alex and Conner Bailey’s world is about to change.
When the twins’ grandmother gives them a treasured fairy-tale book, they have no idea they’re about to enter a land beyond all imagining: the Land of Stories, where fairy tales are real.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Alex and her brother Conner “fall” into a book and have to figure out the wishing spell to get back home. The author is Chris Colfer, better known as Kurt Hummel on Glee. This is his first novel.

What’s good?

Simple and quaint, this story is a modern fairy tale guest starring many characters from the classics. It’s interesting to see what fairy tale character the two main characters will meet with next. The plot is straight-forward and the language is easy. The story is imaginative and entertaining.
Best Part: Froggy.

What isn’t good?

Every problem the main characters encounter comes with a quick and easy solution that doesn’t require very much bravery or intellect. There’s no real sense of danger or difficulty. The action is slow and the story is predictable. The characters are mostly superficial and the story depends too much on dialogue and not enough on description, action, or setting.
Worst part: The sarcasm became grating after a while.

Recommendation þþooo

The concept was a good one, creative and fun, and the story had some good elements. Unfortunately, the overall result was bland. What should have been a magical and wondrous journey lacked physical and emotional description and failed to draw me in. Sadly, I don’t recommend this story.

Colfer, Chris. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. New York: Hatchett Book Group, 2012.

The Dumbest Idea Ever by Jimmy Gownley

Pages: 236
Intended Audience: Tweens and up
Genre: Graphic novel / Memoir
Notes for Parents: There’s an off-panel kiss (♥)!

The Inside Cover

At thirteen, Jimmy was popular, at the top of his class, and the leading scorer on his basketball team. But all that changed when chicken pox forced him to miss the championship game. Then things went from bad to worse when he got pneumonia and missed even more school Before Jimmy knew it, his grades were sinking and nothing seemed to be going right.
How would Jimmy turn things around, get his momentum back, and maybe even land a date with the cutest girl in school?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

According to the author’s notes, this is based on Jimmy Gownley’s own story set in his hometown of Girardville, Pennsylvania.

What’s good?

This endearing story of a young boy pursuing his dream of being a graphic novelist comes alive with bold, colourful artwork and easy-to-follow dialogue. This is a well-structured story with a good pace that makes it a fast and fun read. The quaint settings lends itself well to the story and the characters are wonderfully likeable, especially Jimmy, the main character.
Best Part: Tony (especially after reading the Author’s Notes at the end).

What isn’t good?

I can honestly say that there wasn’t anything that I thought wasn’t good. I suppose I would have liked to know more about “the breakup” and would have liked an extended scene in the comic book store, even a little more information about how one does go about self-publishing, but everything flowed just fine exactly how it was.
Worst part:  None.

Recommendation þþþþo

This endearing graphic novel hits all the coming-of-age highlights: starting high school; making new friends; even going on a first date. Most of all, it tackles the pressures involved in following your passion and reaching for your dreams. Absolutely recommended!

Gownley, Jimmy. The Dumbest Idea Ever! New York: Graphix, 2014.