Wabi by Joseph Burchac

"'Young one, do you hearrr meeee?'
I turned my head to listen more closely to that voice. It was a voice I had never heard before. It was...strange. I might have said it was pleasant, but somehow it made me feel uneasy. Yet is was an attractive voice, a voice that made me curious. I knew immediately that I wanted to see the one who had that voice.
'Young one, come hhhhhheeeerrre," it trilled, "into the swaaaammmp. I have something forrrr you.'"

Wabi is an owl. Or is he a human? Joseph Bruchac spins a tale of an owl who becomes a man through the magic of the seven stones and through his own battles against monsters like Mamaskwa, the Toad Woman, and Mojid, the Greedy Eater. Bruchac combines a respect for the natural world, the elements of the heroic journey, and just a dash of love with the style of a Native American storyteller to produce a story that is in turn exciting and mystical. Wabi will appeal to fantasy fans, adventure readers, and nature lovers.

SLJ recommends grades 5 to 8.

Learn more at HCL, Barnes and Noble, and here.

Book Thief by Markus Zusak

" It's just a small story really, about, among other things:
* A girl
* Some words
* An accordionist
* Some fanatical Germans
* A Jewish fist fighter
* And quite a lot of thievery

I saw the book thief three times."

This epic-length novel takes place during World War II in Germany, so you know it will be an emotionally wrenching read. Zusak, ever the creative storyteller, however does not set his story in a concentration camp or on the battlefield. Instead, his story takes place in a small working-class German town and follows the lives of the residents of Himmel Street as they react and respond to the events of the time. Moreover, this story is narrated by an unusual and formidable narrator, Death. The characters in this story share a passion for language and words from the Mayor's wife in her library to the main character Liesel the Book Thief to the Jewish refugee hiding in her basement. All of these characters come to understand that words can inflict pain as well as provide salvation. Zusak's text is embroidered with poetic, evocative language. This, combined with the subject matter, makes for an important novel. Although this book is being marketed to teenagers, there is plenty for an adult audience to appreciate as well.

SLJ recommends grades 9 and up.

Learn more at HCL, Amazon, and here.

Jade Green by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

"The moolight through the window illuminated the rose-colored chair by the writing table, the brandy cupboard, the cushions, the clock. It shone as well on the grand piano, and, taking another step so as to get a closer look, I saw the hand, the severed hand, fingering the keys."

After having been orphaned by her mentally unstable mother, Judith travels from Ohio to South Carolina to move in with an Uncle. Her Uncle's hospitality comes with only one clause, Judith must not bring any green items with her. Forced to break that rule, Judith begins to hear scratching, to uncover horrible sights, and to encounter her cousin Charles' leers. Is Jade Green really haunting Judith, or is Judith slipping into madness just like her mother?

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor spins a tightly crafted, page-turning, supernatural tale. This period tale combines romance, mystery, and chills while it explores the nature of horror. Discover which is scarier, a disembodied hand or Cousin Charles!

Learn more at HCL, Amazon, and the author's web site.

(SLJ recommends grades 5 through 8)