A Difficult Boy by M. P. Barker

In this historical fiction novel, it is 1839, and Ethan (who is nine years old) becomes an indentured servant to Mr. Lyman, the storekeeper. There is a strong secondary character Daniel (often called the derogatory term "Paddy" because he is Irish) who is older. Mr. Lyman is abusive and although Ethan is only nine, he at times seems much older - since kids were put to work very young in the past (despite the young protagonist, this is not for a younger audience). Ethan and Daniel find evidence that incriminates Mr. Lyman in theft and dishonesty (including stealing Daniel's land) and they have to try and find the right actions to take. This was a very strong novel, although I have some concerns about teen appeal, I vote yes.

Ringside 1925: views from the scopes trial by Jen Bryant

This book tells the story of the Scopes Monkey trial that took place in Dayton Tenn in 1925. It is told trough accounts of a number of different people written in free verse poetry. I couldn't finish it. I've read a number of books written in this style and enjoyed them. This one I really couldn't get into. I tried. I vote nay.

Madapple by Christina Meldrum

This title has gotten really good reviews from a variety of sources. It's an intriguing read, definitely for older teens. It reminds me of a cross between Flowers in the Attic (the whole incest thing), The Garden (the whole alternate take on religion thing), and the trial in a true crime book (the whole courtroom thing). Basically, everybody's getting pregnant by their family members and trying to pass it off as immaculate conception, with some degree of plausibility. I don't know that it's good enough for the top 20, but I would like to hear what others have to say about it. I give it a "maybe".

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Ruby and her mother have moved over and over again. And, it turns out that Ruby's mom has decided to move on without her this time. But Ruby is doing "just fine" on her own; until the nosy landlords get wind of what is going on and turn her into the authorities. Now Ruby has been sent off to live with her sister and her new brother-in-law in a cush neighborhood. Not only that but she has to go to a brand new private school where she has to do a project on what "family" means to her. Well, what does family mean to a girl who feels she's been abandoned by everyone she's ever depended on?

Sarah Dessen is a strong story teller with a subtle writing style, but this isn't my favorite book of hers. Ruby is likable enough, but sometimes you kind of want to smack her. Also, some secondary characters are a little weak. That said, I still enjoyed the book and by the end I was reading it whenever I got a chance. For me this is a maybe, as I said, it started slowly and I did not related to Ruby like I have Dessen's other characters, but it is still a strong book on it's own once you get into it.

The King's Arrow by michael Cadnum

This book takes a look at a mystery in history. Walter Tirel was a real person that either accidentally or intentionally killed the king of England in 1100 ad. Very little is know about what happened so Cadnum has written a story of what could have happened. it is a decent historical fiction but, for me, not real gripping. I don't think it has a lot of teen appeal. I vote nay.

A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn

If you know Howard Zinn, you know that he's not going to be a politically neutral historian. True to form, he has written a book documenting the atrocities committed by America for the purpose of imposing authority over many lands and peoples. Beginning with 9-11, the author decries the government's response to tragedy, and drags the reader back hundreds of years to the Battle of Wounded Knee and the slaughter of innocent Native American women and children.

I will preface this review by saying that some artists have admired Konopacki's work, and I've seen good reviews. I personally find the feel of his art to be commercial, and a little stale. Mixed media images bog down the art and make it hard to figure out what's "real."

The strident, shrill tone of the book almost immediately raised my hackles, and while I persevered and read the book in one sitting, I came away feeling that I had spent an hour sucking a rather dry lemon. Some good information, in a format clearly angling for a good school banning. Nay.

The Tide Knot by Helen Dunmore

A sequel to iNGO, this story starts out very confusing for someone who hasn't read iNGO. Sapphy and her brother, Connor, are part Mer (merfolk) and can enter Ingo. Ingo is a hard concept to define - it is a place, but not a place. It can be here and there. It is almost like the spirit of the ocean. Danger comes in the forms of the tides - which will escape the "knot" that keeps them contained in the oceans. Sapphy and Connor are instrumental in saving the world from destruction. There is a subplot with Sapphy and Connors father, who disappeared and is presumed dead by most. Sapphy discovers that he has turned Mer and later both Sapphy and Connor discover that their father is not captive as they thought, but is with another woman and has a new child - both Mer. This book slowly pulled me in, but I don't think that it stands alone: besides being very confusing in the beginning, there is a lot of foreshadowing that doesn't lead to anything, there wasn't enough build up to having to save the world, and I vote Nay for TU.