In this space are Mrs. Duffy's comments about books from the Trottier Library
collection. If you are interested in submitting remarks about a book you would
recommend, email them to Mrs. Duffy.
- The Naming by Alison Crogan
- The Alchemyst: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
- Afrika by Colleen Craig
- Eggs by Jerry Spinelli
- Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck
- Well Witched by Frances Hardingue
- Nation by Terry Pratchett
- Alabama Moon by Watt Key
- Ingo by Helen Dunmore
- The Mysterious Benedict Sociey by Trenton Lee Stewart
- Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
- Rules by Cynthia Lord
- The Diary of Pelly D. by L.J. Addlington
- The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
- Incantation by Alice Hoffman
- Fake ID by Walter Sorrells
- Schooled by Gordon Korman
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
- Ethan, Suspended by Pamela Ehrenberg
- Duchessina: A Novel of Catherine de' Medici by Carolyn Meyer
- Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja
- Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm
- Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
- The New Policeman by Kate Thompson
- Twilight Child by Sally Warner
The Naming by Alison Crogan
First in the now-complete Pellinor quartet, this elegant fantasy is set in an
imaginary ancient land with a Celtic feeling. Sixteen-year-old Maerad is
rescued from misery and slavery by the Bard Cadvan. The Bards are a class of
learned magicians, to which Maerad finds that she belongs by birth. The two
undertake a difficult journey as they race to defeat the forces of the Dark,
which threaten everything of beauty and value in the land. The people and
places they encounter on their journey are vividly described and the action is
fast-pace.
The Alchemyst: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson will be glad to discover another rich
and entertaining fantasy series. This first book in the series, centers on
teenage twins Sophie and Josh, who meet Nicholas Flamel, the legendary figure
who is said to have discovered the secret to immortality. For centuries he has
evaded his nemesis, John Dee, henchman for the Dark Elders, who plan to take over
the world, destroying humanity in the process. It appears that Sophie and Josh
are the twins mentioned in an ancient prophecy as the only ones who can save
humanity from annihilation.
Afrika by Colleen Craig
Thirteen-year-old Kim travels from Canada to her mother's former home country
of South Africa when her mother goes to report on the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission hearings. Kim hopes to find out more about her father, who stayed
behind when Kim's mother fled South Africa. The novel works as modern
historical fiction and a mystery story with a quest for answers to her
mother's secrets. The reader learns along with Kim about the horrors of
apartheid, develops a close friendship with a schoolmate, and for the first
time in her life meets family members other than her mother.
Eggs by Jerry Spinelli
Both sad and funny, this is the story of the unlikely friendship between
David, who has recently lost his beloved mother, and Primrose, angry because
she feels neglected by her eccentric mother. Dark, quirky, thought-provoking,
and honest are adjectives which apply to all of Jerry Spinelli's books and
this one made for a good discussion when the Trottier Book Club read it.
Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck
Eleanor, aka Pee Wee, is 14 and loves cars (which are just beginning to be
seen in rural Indiana). She lives and works with her older brother, Jake, an
auto mechanic. Four college girls, library science majors, come to town and
turn Jake and Eleanor's lives upside down. Funny and interesting glimpse of a
time and place, just before World War I in the American midwest.
Well Witched by Frances Hardingue
Three friends, two timid outsiders and one powerful and confident leader,
enjoy each other's company until one day, short of bus fare, they are forced
to scoop coins out of a wishing well. This confers some unwelcome magical
powers on them and obliges them to do everything in their power to help grant
the wishes of the coin tossers, no matter how unwise, dangerous or even evil
those wishes might be. This is both an exciting fantasy and an emotionally
rich book about friendship and loneliness, peer pressure, and being careful
what you wish for.
Nation by Terry Pratchett
As this complex and fascinating novel begins, a tidal wave destroys an
imaginary tropical island, isolating Mau, sweeping away his entire island
community. The same event sends Daphne, an English girl, sole survivor of a
shipwreck, onto the island and into his life. Slowly, other survivors of the
tidal wave begin to gather on the island and turn to Mau and Daphne for help.
The odd resulting community combines talents and resources and comes to terms
with their losses. Mau questions the traditional beliefs of his culture and
makes surprising discoveries about the achievement of his ancestors.
Alabama Moon by Watt Key
Moon is the son of a man who has chosen to live apart from society, distrusts
government, and has taught his son to survive in the wilderness. When his
father dies, Moon, only 10 years old, tries to follow his father's ways,
displaying resourcefulness, intelligence and determination. Suspense livens up
the story when Moon must contend with a cruel policeman who is equally
determined to prevent Moon from accomplishing his goals.
Ingo by Helen Dunmore
Set in Cornwall, England, this is the story of a brother and sister who are
powerfully lured seaward by mer people. Their father has disappeared. Was he
lured by a mermaid into Ingo, the world of the sea people? An unusual fantasy
story with plenty of mysterious atmosphere, it is to be part of a trilogy.
The Mysterious Benedict Sociey by Trenton Lee Stewart
Reynie, an orphan, answers an ad looking for "gifted children" and is
selected, along with two other children, for a special mission: to go
undercover, enrolled as students at the Learning Institute for the Very
Enlightened, where the headmaster is using children in a plot to take over the
world. The four very different children form the Mysterious Benedict Sociey
and must learn to cooperate and depend upon each other. Suspenseful and witty,
with lots of surprises, this is a fairly long book at 400+ pages (and a true
page-turner). It would be a good read-aloud, or a fun book to share with
parents, and could be enjoyed by all ages.
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Since her parents' deaths, sixteen-year-old Hattie has lived with a series of
relatives and feels that she doesn't really belong anywhere, until her uncle
leaves her a claim in Montana. She must farm a daunting number of acres and
build a very long fence in order to make the claim hers. Hattie becomes part
of a community as she courageously undertakes alone the hard and sometimes
dangerous work of homesteading. This is a fascinating glimpse of late pioneer
life in the early twentieth century. Partly based on the author's
great-grandmother's experience, it is a wonderful story told with humor and love.
Rules by Cynthia Lord
Catherine, who has a brother with autism, often feels that she is
given too much responsibility for David. Although she loves and feels
protective towards him, she is often embarassed by David. For both of their
sakes, she teaches him rules which she hopes will help him cope better with
everyday life. Told in the first person, the narrative seems real, honest and
personal. The story takes place during one summer when Catherine
confronts questions about friendship, being different, and being part of a
sometimes imperfect but strong and loving family.
The Diary of Pelly D. by L.J. Addlington
Toni V, part of a future society on a planet much like earth, finds a diary
while working as a laborer. Although he is supposed to turn over anything he
finds, he begins to secretly read about the life of the diarist, a spoiled
teenage girl from the not-so-distant past, whose privileged life turned
nightmarish when her genetic group began to be persecuted. As he reads, he
becomes determined to find out about what happened to her and why. The
author's interest in war diaries led her to write this imaginative science
fiction novel with its haunting parallels to the holocaust.
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
Sym is a fourteen-year-old with a keen interest in the Antarctic and Antarctic
exploration, and, in particular the romantic figure of Captain Lawrence Oates
of the doomed Scott expedition. After her father's death, her uncle whisks her
away on a trip to the Antarctic, which seems, at first, like a dream, and then
turns into a nightmarish survival tale. The strange and beautiful landscape
and the bizarre turns of events are brilliantly described as
is Sym's unique response to it, as she shows heroism, intelligence and rich
imagination.
Incantation by Alice Hoffman
In her short novel about a period of renewed persecution of Spanish Jews in
the century after the Inquisition forced many into exile, Alice Hoffman tells
this fascinating story from the point of view of the beautiful Estrella, who
must reevaluate everything she thought she knew about herself and her friends
and family, and try to make sense of her life in the midst of violence,
tragedy, loss, and betrayal.
Fake ID by Walter Sorrells
An exciting suspenseful mystery/thriller for older middle school students.
Chastity and her mother have been on the run since Chastity can remember,
constantly assuming new identities to hide from something, although Chastity
doesn't know what that is. When her mother disappears, Chastity must figure
out what has happened, as well as who she really is.
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Cap Anderson has spent his whole life on a hippie commune alone with his
grandmother. When she is hurt and has to be hospitalized, Cap must move into a
foster home and attend school for the first time. This is the story about what
happens to a strong-minded, intelligent, and principled 13-year-old boy who is
clueless about school politics and social life in a typical middle school. It
is both eye-opening and hilarious.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
This book won the 2007 Caldecott Medal for excellence in illustration in
children's books, usually given to picture books. Set in a train station in
Paris, The Invention of Hugo Cabret is not exactly a picture book, and not
exactly a novel, but a unique combination of the two. The story advances
alternately by pages of black and white drawings and pages of text. It is the
story of Hugo, whose father, a clock maker, finds an automaton, a kind of
nineteenth century robot, with a pen in its hand, and tries to repair it.
After his father's death, Hugo undertakes the work, convinced that if he can
repair the automaton, and make it write, it will write an important message
meant for him. The story has many intriguing twists and turns, and also
imparts some fascinating background about the early history of the cinema and
its beginnings in France.
Ethan, Suspended by Pamela Ehrenberg
Ethan's life in a suburb of Philadelphia is comfortable, both materially and
socially, until an incident results in his suspension from school and he has
to go stay with his grandparents in inner-city Washington, D.C., for what he
expects to be a week, but which turns out to be an indefinite period of time.
Getting used to his loving, but frugal and inflexible grandparents and his
life in a school where he is the only white student proves challenging but
life-changing. Ethan learns about himself and things about his family which he
never knew, including his mother's involvement in the protest movement of the
sixties, and he makes friends who take him to places previously outside of his
comfort zone. Told in the first person, with humor, this is a wonderful story
of discovery.
Duchessina: A Novel of Catherine de' Medici by Carolyn Meyer
This is a novel of the early life of Catherine de' Medici, of the
rich and powerful Medici family of 16th century Florence and future queen of
France. Because of political rivalries and intrigues she is in danger and is
sent to a convent where she is treated harshly because of the nuns' hatred of her
family. Later she is moved to Rome to be part of the household of Pope
Clement, her guardian. With rich period details, the story is full of suspense
and drama. The theme of women's powerlessness over their own destinies is
brought to the fore by Catherine's arranged marriage. Nevertheless, the young
Catherine is determined to influence her destiny with her intelligence, and
her character's voice is strong and her character sympathetic.
Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja
This is a quick-paced and insightful novel for older middle school students.
Justin, a high school sophomore, is intent on flying under the radar at his
high school, avoiding the popular bullies, somewhere safely in the middle of
the social hierarchy. But when Jinsen, a teenage Buddhist monk, arrives on the
scene, with his shaved head and begging bowl, and is harassed for being
different, Justin finds himself moved to take a stand. He and Jinsen have been
paired to work on a school project and find that they share a love of
art. Justin learns how Jinsen's commitment to Buddhist principles enables him
to be true to himself and to rise above the cruelties of his schoolmates.
Thought-provoking and engaging.
Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm
It's 1953 in Brooklyn. Penny is about to turn 12. She lives with her widowed
mother and maternal grandparents. Her father's large, warm and loving extended
family live nearby, and Penny basks in their love, although her mother has
little to do with them, and her father's death is shrouded in mystery. When
Penny has a terrible accident, she learns the truth about her father's tragic
death, which was indirectly the result of little-known measures taken against
Italian-Americans during this period, when they were designated "enemy
aliens". This story is based on Holm's own family history. The time period is
brought to life with abundant detail. For example, Penny is forbidden to swim
in the public pool by her mother, who fears the polio epidemic and she and her
uncle are ardent Brooklyn Dodger fans. Although serious and sad events are
depicted, the story is told with a gentle and humorous tone.
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Although not new, this is a not-to-be-missed title by an author who is worth
getting to know as she has written many original and imaginative fantasies for
children. As we all know, it is always the youngest sibling who has the
adventures, and earns the rewards in fairy tales. Hattie, the heroine of this
story, is the eldest of her sisters, so she is resigned to her dull life,
making hats and running a hat shop. After a run-in with a witch, however, she
is turned into a very old lady and the plot thickens. She takes refuge in the
moving castle of Howl, the much-feared wizard who is reputed to steal the
souls of young girls. Very entertaining, involving and complex, with wonderful
characters and a highly satisfying ending.
The New Policeman by Kate Thompson
Set in contemporary Ireland, this book features Irish folklore and traditional
music and dancing. The author even transcribes a traditional tune at the start
of every chapter. There's slipping back and forth between fairy and mortal
folks' realms. The problem in the book is a "leak" of time from the real world
into the fairies' world, so time is going too fast in the real world and is
starting to pass, which it's not supposed to, in the immortal fairy land.
Clever, charming and may inspire further reading in Irish music and folklore.
Twilight Child by Sally Warner
This is an enchanting book combining fantasy, adventure, romance, history, and
Scottish and Norse mythology. Eleni is a twilight child, so she can
communicate with magical creatures. When Sweden and Russia fight for
dominance of Scandinavia in the late 18th century Eleni loses her home in
Finland. She then undertakes a perilous sea journey, finds a new home and
friends, and learns the true meaning of "home".