The Schwa Effect

by Neal Shusterman

****

FIC SHU, Teen section

Calvin Schwa seems to be invisible. People forget about him the minute he's no longer standing next to them. His friend Antsy calls it the Schwa Effect and hatches a moneymaking scheme based on Calvin's "talent." That is until they get caught by the neighborhood's legendary mean guy, Mr. Crawley, who forces them to walk his 14 dogs as punishment. Later Antsy and and Lexie, Crawley's blind granddaughter, try to figure out what happened to Calvin's missing mother. Will Calvin's greatest fear come true? Will he disappear completely like his mother?

I love Shusterman's books. They're exciting, fast-paced, unique. Other books that we have by him that I enjoyed are Everlost and Downsiders. The Schwa Effect is one of the California Young Reader Medal nominated titles for middle school students.

Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen

by Wendelin Van Draanen

*****

FIC VAN

This book is about a girl named Sammy Keyes who lives with her grandmother. In every book in the Sammy Keyes series, Sammy comes across a mystery almost aways entangled with a life and death situation. What I liked best about the author is that she always includes humor in the most outrageous and tense plases in her books. A MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!

W.S. (7th gr.) 2005

Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary

by Wendelin Van Draanen
*****
FIC VAN

It's about Sammy Keyes' figuring out who burned down a old cabin and why it was burned down by that person. I liked this book, because it was very funny and it was like, you kept on reading, then you stopped and saw that you had read half of the book!
Y.M. (5th grade), 2004

The Mysterious Matter of I.M. Fine

by Diane Stanley

****

FIC STA

It's about a boy and girl (NOT girlfriend, boyfriend); I forget their names. There is a book by I.M. Fine and everyone who reads it has odd things happen to them, like being obsessed with jelly worms, headaches, and more! What I liked best about this book was that it was really exciting.

H.Z. (5th grade), 2004

Mysteries in our National Parks: Cliffhanger

by Gloria Skurzynski
FIC SKU, Series section

Jack and Ashley Landon's mother has to go to Mesa Verde to help with a mountain lion problem, but right before they leave they get a foster child. She is very mysterious and Ashley is suspicious, but Jacks wants to believe whatever she tells them. Who does this mysterious girl call at night and what does she know? Is there more to fear than a mountain lion? This book is full of adventure and suspense. I liked it a lot.
T.S., 6th grade