The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman. This is a deliciously creepy story about a young boy, named Bod, for Nobody Owens, who escapes being murdered at a very young age. The man Jack murders the boy's parents and older sister and is on his way to the nursery, only to find the crib empty and the toddler nowhere to be found. Thus begins the story of how Bod comes to live in the cemetery to be taken care of by ghosts, followed by many adventures that take him outside the graveyard among the living. This 2009 Newbery Medal book will be well received by young readers that enjoy the thrill of being on the edge. The few illustrations add the right amount of intrigue. Be sure to read the author's Newbery Medal acceptance speech at the back of the book, including this: "Reading is important. Books are important. Librarians are important. Children's fiction is the the most important fiction of all."

Zane and the Hurricane: A Story of Katrina, Rodman Philbrick. After Zane's mother does some digging to learn that his late father has a grandmother in New Orleans, he and his dog, Bandy, fly down to stay with her. Zane warms to Grammy immediately and hopes to learn how his father died. But, Hurricane Katrina is fast approaching so they leave town on the preacher's bus. When Bandy jumps out the window, with Zane fast on his heels, they end back up at Grammy's house, with the storm licking at their heels. When water begins to drown the house, they must escape to the attic, with only a vent for hope. Along come Malvina and Tru in a canoe to rescue them. What follows is their harrowing experience through stink, filth, danger and death. Although familiar with the horrors of Hurricane Katrina, this story takes the reader to the heart of the devastation: poverty, race, drugs, crime.

Philbrick, author of Freak the Mighty, does not disappoint with his latest book. Prepare readers for a dialect for which they may not be familiar (truth = troot, that = dat, darling = dawlin).

Prisoner B-3087, Alan Gratz. "We are alive. We are alive, and that is all that matters. We cannot let them tear us from the pages of the world," said Yanek Gruener, or B-3087, to a young boy in the midst of the horrific Holocaust at Birkenau concentration camp. Watching the wall go up around Krakow, Poland, in 1939, to being separated from his family and knowing their fate, to the ten concentration camps that Yanek endured, his story is important. The author does acknowledge taking liberties, thus calling it a novel; however, Yanek (currently living in America and named Jack) is indeed real and the cruelty, starvation, brutality and hatred is very, very real. This story requires emotional stamina, because it is graphic, unimaginable and horrifying. Before suggesting this to a mature reader, I would recommend reading it first so you can prepare your reader for what lies ahead.

Revolver, Marcus Sedgwick. What a thrill of a read. The cover and title are enough to draw a reader into its fast turning pages. This was a "Chloe-you'll-have-to-wait-until-I-finish-this-book-before-our-walk" kind of story. It drew me in from the first two quotes, followed by the first line, "Even the dead tell stories." And those stories will arise from young Sig's dead father laying on the table only feet from him, who can't be buried because the ground in Giron, 68 Latitude North is just too frozen. The year is 1910 and hopes of gold brought Einar Andersson, his wife and two children north to the frigid temperatures. Stranded in this remote area, finding work as an Assayist (one who checks the purity of gold), Einar comes across Mr. Wolff, a giant of a man, demanding to have his gold tested. When told his gold is worthless, Wolff strikes a deal with Einar, only to be tricked and angered, setting off a ten year search for the constantly moving Andersson family. He finally finds him as Einar's chilling, decaying corpse lays on the table with Sig watching over him. demanding his share of the gold, of which Sig and his sister, Anna, know nothing. Their only hope of survival lives in a box in the pantry: an 1873 single action Army Colt revolver. But Wolff has his own gun. The ending has a satisfying twist that may surprise you.

I recommend reading this before suggesting it to mature readers, due to content that some may consider questionable. If this were a movie, it would probably be rated PG-13. This book earned the Prinz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell, Chris Colfer. Alex and Connor are given a special fairy tale book from their grandmother after the passing of their father. Little do they know of the magic found within the pages, until one night they fall into the book and land among the familiar fairy tale characters that we all know and love. Upon entering the fairy kingdom, they first meet Froggy, a reappearing character, that helps them more than once in their quest to get back home. He explains that to return to their mother, they must gather several items, including a fairy's teardrop, Sleeping Beauty's spindle and a lock of Rapunzel's hair. Once collected, the Wishing Spell will grant one final wish. Not surprisingly, evil wolves and trolls slow them down while fairies and dwarves toss out their goodness. With a couple of items tucked away in their satchel, they learn that the Evil Queen is also desiring of the final wish and she has the powers to bring Alex and Connor down. When the brother and sister finally collect all the items, they are kidnapped and brought to the Evil Queen who tricks them to win the final wish. In Cinderella fashion, the Fairy Godmother makes an entrance and shares a surprising secret, bringing the story to a satisfying "happily ever after."

This is a fantastical story, bringing back fond memories of tales all children should have as friends. If not, perhaps, reading and visiting with the familiar fairy tales will provide the foundation. With over 400 pages, recommend this book for stronger readers and they will not be disappointed.

A Snicker of Magic, Natalie Lloyd. As soon as Felicity Pickle's mom feels it is time to leave, she ups and moves her and her sister, Frannie Jo, to a new place, a new house, a new school. Nowhere does she call home, until they venture into Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, a place once full of magic but also a curse that took it all away. Felicity collects words and keeps a blue book full of them where "lonely" seems to be a recurring theme. She meets Jonah, aka Beedle, who changes the lives of others, as well as her life in ways that she never expected. They strike up a deal that she will use her collection of words to write and read a poem at "the duel" forcing her artistic mother to hang around a bit longer. Not only does the poem touch a part of her mom's heart, it moves her to finally begin painting again. The small town holds many stories and tales and secrets that Felicity sorts through to learn more of her own background. But through it all, she finds a home and learns that Midnight Gulch still has a "snicker of magic."

This is a lighthearted story that would make a nice read aloud. It is one about loss and loneliness, hope and a home. It leaves you with a sense of contentment and happiness.

A Monster Calls, Patrick Ness. An unforgettable book and winner of multiple awards. Conor O'Malley's nightmare monster shows up night after night, at 12:07, just as his mother starts her unsuccessful treatments for cancer. Through a series of stories that the monster tells Conor, he is seeking for him to identify his own truth, which Conor is loathe to speak. Ness has written a beautiful story on behalf of Siobhan Dowd, herself an author, that lost her life too soon. It is about life and death, forgiveness and acceptance, love and anger, holding on and letting go. A lovely book to offer anyone struggling with a loss, or learning how to accept the unacceptable. I highly recommend this book, even if you read it only for yourself.

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Chris Grabenstein. Kyle Keeley is on a quest to earn the top prize by escaping from the newest library created and designed by none other than the Mr. Lemoncello, game wizard and book nerd, himself. In similar fashion of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 12 contestants are allowed entry and slowly, many are tossed out due to selfish and greedy reasons. The contest begins in the library with 24 hours to find their way out of the library. With loads of mind games, puzzles and references to book titles, contestants must use their library knowledge, especially the Dewey Decimal System to come out on top. Holograms and game tactics, such as "ask a friend" and "shout out" can be utilized to further gain information. Soon, teams form and brains work together to solve the clues.

This is a fun book and would make a great read aloud. It smacks of "7 habits" because the two final teams clearly demonstrate how synergizing gets the job done, or not done, in the case of one team.

Comics Squad Recess! Jennifer Holm, Matthew Holm, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, et al. Kids are going to love this collection of comics from popular authors, such as Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants) and Raina Telgemeier (Drama, Smile). Pizza monsters, aliens, ninjas, cupcakes playing freeze tag, bratty girls, bad puns and poor spelling make this a fun addition to your classroom library. Illustrations will also grab the attention of your students with their bright orange pages. This is a perfect fit for struggling or unmotivated readers.

Keeping Safe the Stars, Sheila O'Connor. Pride, Nightingale and Baby Star, orphaned siblings, are taken under the wing of their grandfather, Old Finn. Chapter one begins with Old Finn, the small town hermit, taking himself to the local hospital, telling the kids to stay with Miss Addie until he returns. However, he does not return and Miss Addie is old and not able to provide any direction or support. The kids make the long trek to the hospital, only to learn that he was transported to the big city hospital for encephalitis. With no money, little food and the fear of being put into the foster system, they make signs advertising pony rides and selling cookies and souvenirs to raise money for the Greyhound tickets needed to get to him. Among their few customers are Nash, a journalist and his daughter, Sage, who keep coming back trying to get more information for his story; but the lies that Pride tells, just don't work for him. Searching for money, Pride comes across a stack of love letters to Old Finn from Justine, a painter, currently living in the city. Using their precious dimes for phone calls and the help of the local librarian, they track her down. She instantly comes to their aid.

This story, with a strong female protagonist shows the love and compassion for a grandfather, while desperately missing her mother. With little resources, Pride makes decisions that make her sister, Nightingale, uncomfortable because of the lies she tells. It is a story about family and opening ourselves up to others and allowing them to help in our time of need.