Pick of the Week- The Book Thief

is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.  This is an historical fiction novel set in World War II Germany. Interestingly, the narrator is something like the grim reaper.  He first meets Liesel, the book's protagonist, at age eleven when her brother dies while they are on their way to live with a foster family.  Her father was a communist and taken by the Nazis immediately before the war, and her mother has no way to support her children.  After stealing her first book from the graveyard where her brother is buried, Liesel is taken in by an older couple, the Hubermans, who live a few miles from the Dachau concentration camp.  Rosa is foul mouthed harsh woman who nonetheless has a big heart; while Hans is an endlessly caring and warm father figure.  The family, who secretly hate Hitler and the Nazis, decide to hide a Jewish teenager and live in constant fear of discovery and punishment. This griping tale will be sure fascinate students of World War II and the Holocaust.

Pick of the Week- The Only Game

is The Only Game by Mike Lupica.  Baseball is the love of Jack Callahan's life.  And he is very good at it. His team might even make it to the Little League World Series this year with his phenomenal pitching and hitting. But after the first day of practice, he quits the team. Jack's brother had died the year before, and through his guilt and grief, he gave up the sport he loved. While is best friend and team mates are furious, Jack finds new friends that help move back towards playing the game he still loves.

Pick of the Week- I Hunt Killers

is I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga.  This crime thriller will delight fans of the TV show Dexter. Seventeen year old Jasper, or Jazz, is the son of one of the most notorious serial killers of all time. He lives with his elderly grandmother in the same small Florida town where is father grew up, but he was raised by his father. Jazz believes his mother is dead (killed by his father) but isn't sure.  When a woman is found dead in the sleepy Florida town, he feels a responsibility to help solve the crime. Though his father wanted Jazz to follow in his footsteps, he is committed to battling his demons and constantly strives to do the right thing.  But his traumatic history follows him as more people are murdered and it becomes clear that there is another serial killer bent on a reign of terror.  Can Jazz live down the reputation of his father and make amends to the world? 

Pick of the Week- Darth Plagueis

Ms. Y's pick of the week is Darth Plagueis by James Luceno.  For fans of the Star Wars universe, this novel will add color to the story of victory of Sith over the Jedi.  Darth Plagueis is mentioned briefly in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and this novel traces his career and mostly his training of Palpatine.  For fans of the Star Wars prequels, this novel will explain the Sith plot in more detail and provide more context to the plot to destroy the Jedi.

Pick of the Week- When I Was the Greatest

Ms. Y's pick of the week is the award-winning When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds.  First-time author Reynolds creates engaging characters who confront raw emotion related to abandonment, violence and true friendship.  The narrator, Ali, lives in a Brooklyn brownstone with his mother and sister.  He becomes friends with two brothers nicknamed Noodles, who acts tough but secretly loves to draw comic books and Needles, who has Tourette's Syndrome.  Though they are neighbors, Ali and brothers have vastly different families- Ali's mother is a social worker who is loving and nurturing to her children while Noodles and Needle live in a dilapidated building with a neglectful mother.  Though the three teenagers stay away from the drugs and gangs that surround their Bed-Stuy neighborhood, they get drawn into a conflict that rock their friendship and test their character.  This novel offers a window into inner city life- showing the challenges and strength of the community.

Pick of the Week- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

is the The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie.  As we finish banned books week, it is fitting that my pick this week be one of the most challenged books of this century. Basketball fans will love Alexie's semi-autobiographical novel about growing up on a reservation in Washington state.  The conflict Arnold feels between loyalty to his home and the mostly white high school he attends brings to light many of the social issues faced by young Native Americans today. Don't miss this modern classic.

Pick of the Week- Iron Trial

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare is this week's pick. This is the first in a four book series by these two local authors (they both live in Amherst). Fans of Harry Potter will enjoy the interesting world Black and Clare have created. Mystery surrounds Callum Hunt's past as he joins a the Magisterium, an underground school for magic. He and his friends are training to be mages in a world where everyone has been touched by the aftermath of a great struggle between magic of good and evil. As Callum works through his first year, he will face challenges and a surprising revelation that will want make you yearn for the next book in the series!