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Back in November, I reviewed the sequel to Jordan Sonnenblick's Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, After Ever After. I said:

"I had high expectations for After Ever After, and it did not disappoint... It is worth the wait, a must-read title for fans of Jordan Sonnenblick's novels. My suggestion, if you can spare the time, is to re-read Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie in January, to be ready for this one when it's available. Though After Ever After is written from an eighth grade boy's perspective, I think that girls will enjoy it, too."

After Ever After is now available. Don't miss it! (But read Drums, Girls first, if you haven't already).

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. All Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, and may result in my receiving a small commission on purchases (with no additional cost to you).

Back in June, I reviewed the third book in Catherine Gilbert Murdock's series about D.J. Schwenk,  Front and Center. I said:

Front and Center is a perfect coming of age story and a completely satisfying conclusion to the three-book series. It's a book that you'll finish with a deep sigh and a few tears, and then immediately want to get a copy of for the 12-to-15-year-old girls in your life.

I am thrilled to report that Front and Center is scheduled for publication today. Fans of the series will not want to miss it. And if you're not already a fan of the series, do give it a try. These are among my very favorite young adult fiction titles. Start with Dairy Queen.

Last week, I reviewed Ian Beck's Pastworld. I said:

Ian Beck's Pastworld is a young adult title that is a bit difficult to categorize. The setting is a mix of past and future. The genre a mix of mystery/thriller and speculative science fiction. But I found the premise irresistible.

Pastworld is a theme park version of Victorian London. It's a fully restored, historically accurate (mostly) version of the city.

I thought when I published the review that it wasn't going to be published until November, but it turns out that (effective September 29th) Pastworld is now available for purchase. Fans of brooding mysteries and alternative histories will want to give it a look.

As part of MotherReader's 48-hour book challenge in June, I read and reviewed Marley Gibson's second Ghost Huntress book: The Guidance. I said of this series:

"Both books are filled with more references to specific clothing brands and URLs than I personally enjoy (let along recognize), and a smidge more profanity than seems strictly necessary for character development. And yet, in much the same way I enjoy the occasional CW series, I've enjoyed both books... The Ghost Huntress books are not going to be for everyone. But I find them an entertaining diversion, and the ghost-hunting paraphernalia intriguing. I think that teens will, too."

The Guidance is scheduled for publication today. But you'll want to read Ghost Huntress: The Awakening first.

Earlier this month I reviewed Maggie Stiefvater's second novel for young adults: Shiver. Here's an excerpt from my review:

"Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver is, on the surface, a young adult fantasy novel about werewolves. But really, Shiver is a love story about two individuals longing for one another across a nearly impossible chasm... Despite being a "werewolf story", Shiver is much more a novel of atmosphere, characterization, and romance than of action. Like Stiefvater's first YA novel, Lament, Shiver captures love and longing perfectly."

Shiver is scheduled for publication on Saturday, but it seems to already be available for order from Amazon and Powell's. It is not to be missed. A sequel, Linger, is scheduled for publication in fall of 2010.

Back in April, I reviewed Mary Downing Hahn's 30th novel, Closed for the Season, a middle grade mystery set in an abandoned amusement park. I said:

"Closed for the Season is a straight-up mystery, without the supernatural trappings found in many of Hahn's other books. Hahn has a real knack, however, for depicting kid-friendly settings and plots, and for quick, insightful descriptions of people and places... (The) combination of realistic interpersonal dynamics with atmospheric, suspenseful mystery is sure to please kids. Especially those kids who aren't athletes, and have been known to spend an afternoon or two in the local library."

Closed for the Season is scheduled for publication today. Middle grade mystery fans won't be able to resist this one.

Back in April I reviewed When the Whistle Blows, a historical novel set in a small railroad town in the 1940s, by Fran Cannon Slayton. I called it: "a beautifully written, quiet sort of book, but one that includes enough mad-cap fun to appeal to reluctant / dormant readers." I concluded:

"When the Whistle Blows is sure to receive acclaim for Slayton's writing. But I think that it also has abundant kid appeal. Librarians, just ask your middle grade boys if they'd like to read a book in which a boy: hides in a graveyard and throw things at cars on Halloween; sneaks out at night to spy on an adult secret society; and faces off a train on a railroad bridge. If these incidents aren't boy-friendly, I don't know what is. When the Whistle Blows has my highest recommendation."

When the Whistle Blows is scheduled for publication today. This is one that people are going to be talking about. You won't want to miss it. 

Early last month, I reviewed Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor, an early young adult novel about an underground monster-fighting organization disguised as a pizza place. I said:

Killer Pizza is a great book for kids who have outgrown early middle grade horror, but still want to read creepy stories, and aren't necessarily ready to move on to Stephen King. I think this is one that middle school librarians will definitely want to stock.

Killer Pizza is scheduled for publication today. It's well worth a look.

Back in February I reviewed After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr, a young adult novel about a boy who falls for a troubled girl, and the difficulties that ensue. I said:

After the Moment is about falling in love, making mistakes, and the way that sometimes, love isn't enough. It's also about families, not necessarily conventional ones, and about trying to do the right thing, even when it's hard... My recommendation for distributing this book is to get people to read the first page, and see if they can stop reading after that. I know I couldn't.  

 After the Moment is due out today. Highly recommended.

Back in October I reviewed Lisa McMann's books Wake and Fade, though only Wake was published at that point. This series is about a teenage girl who experiences other people's dreams, and gets into real-world trouble. I said:

I recommend this series for fans of chilling supernatural stories (teens who read Mary Downing Hahn as kids, and adults who couldn't get enough Lois Duncan as teens). Even those who aren't intrigued by the idea of dream-walking but enjoy tales of kids-from-tough-circumstances-who-make-good may also enjoy Wake and Fade. Personally, I'm already looking forward to the next book (Gone, according to a mention on the author's Amazon blog).

Fade is scheduled for publication today. If you like supernatural stories, I recommend that you buy both Wake and Fade, and have yourself a scary book double-feature!

Usually I use the "Books Now Available" category to highlight books that I reviewed as ARCs that are now available in print. Today, however, I'd like to highlight two newly released titles that I haven't read. In both cases, I've read the authors' previous work, and feel quite confident in notifying you about the books. They are:

Secret Keeper, by Mitali Perkins. Here's the product description from Amazon:

"When her father loses his job and leaves India to look for work in America, Asha Gupta, her older sister, Reet, and their mother must wait with Baba’s brother and his family, as well as their grandmother, in Calcutta. Uncle is welcoming, but in a country steeped in tradition, the three women must abide by his decisions. Asha knows this is temporary—just until Baba sends for them. But with scant savings and time passing, the tension builds: Ma, prone to spells of sadness, finds it hard to submit to her mother- and sister-in-law; Reet’s beauty attracts unwanted marriage proposals; and Asha's promise to take care of Ma and Reet leads to impulsive behavior. What follows is a firestorm of rebuke—and secrets revealed! Asha’s only solace is her rooftop hideaway, where she pours her heart out in her diary, and where she begins a clandestine friendship with Jay Sen, the boy next door. Asha can hardly believe that she, and not Reet, is the object of Jay’s attention. Then news arrives about Baba . . . and Asha must make a choice that will change their lives forever."

Here are my reviews of other Mitali Perkins titles: Monsoon Summer, First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover, and Rickshaw Girl.

Babymouse: The Musical by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. Here's the product description from Amazon:

"Dust off your dancing shoes. Babymouse and the gang are taking center stage in the feel-good book of the season! Will Babymouse get the lead in the school musical or will Felicia Furrypaws steal the show? Find out in Babymouse: The Musical ! Filled with highsteps and high jinks and starring the critically acclaimed, award-winning Babymouse as herself, this showstopper will have you tapping your toes and singing along!"

Here are my reviews of other titles by the Holm siblings: Babymouse: Beach Babe, Babymouse: Heartbreaker, Babymouse: Puppy Love, and (by Jenni only) Penny From Heaven.

These are definitely books to pick up. Happy reading! 

Last month I reviewed Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris, the second book about Theodosia Throckmorton by Robin LaFevers. I concluded:

Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris gets my highest recommendation for middle grade and middle school readers. Try it on fans of the Percy Jackson books, kids who are fascinated by Egypt, and anyone who enjoys mysteries with a strong sense of place. But have them read Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos first - some of the details in this one will make more sense (my review of the first book is here). I know for certain that I would have loved this book as a 10-year-old. I hope that Theodosia has many more adventures.

And, as TadMack pointed out today at Finding Wonderland, this book received "Not one, but two starred reviews, and the School Library Journal invoked the sacred name of Indiana Jones!" Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris is now available for purchase. It would make an excellent holiday gift for adventure fans (perhaps pair it with an Indiana Jones DVD, even)!

Back in August I reviewed P. J. Hoover's middle grade science fiction novel The Emerald Tablet. I called it:

"a very appealing mix of adventure, speculative science fiction, and middle school camp drama. I enjoyed it as an adult, but I know that I would have adored it as an 11-year-old... Highly recommended for later elementary and middle school readers, boys and girls, fans of traditional fantasy or not."

The Emerald Tablet is scheduled for publication today, and well worth checking out. Read the full review here.

In mid-July, I reviewed The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman. I said, of this post-apocalyptic young adult fiction title:

This book has it all. Goodman's writing is eloquent. The island setting is fully realized. The social issues are thought-provoking and memorable. The plot is suspenseful, and has surprising twists. The characters are complex and flawed... Even if you aren't normally a fan of such books, I think that The Other Side of the Island is worth a look. 

Seriously, this is one of my favorite reads ot the year so far. If you like dystopian fiction, add it to your list now. And even if you don't, give it some serious thought, because this book is amazing. The Other Side of the Island is scheduled for publication today. 

Gemma Malley's The Resistance, the sequel to last year's The Declaration (my Declaration review is here), is scheduled for release today. I reviewed The Resistance last month, calling it:

"highly suspenseful and action-packed, the kind of book that you'll stay up late to finish, because you have to know what happens... I recommend The Resistance to fans of dystopian fiction, especially to those who enjoyed The Children of Men by P. D. James, and to anyone looking for a suspenseful, thought-provoking story."

If you liked The Declaration, you'll want to read this one for sure. And if you were intrigued by the premise of The Declaration, but weren't wholly satisfied with the book's execution, I think that you should give The Resistance a try. Becky liked it better, too.

Back in November I was fortunate to publish the first official review of Susan Beth Pfeffer's young adult novel the dead & the gone. The dead and the gone is the companion volume to to Like As We Knew It (reviewed here, and recently released in paperback), and should now be available in stores. It takes place in the same post-apocalyptic world as LAWKI, but features different characters. After a meteor hits the moon, causing various natural disasters, seventeen-year-old Alex Morales is left to care for his two younger sisters in a crumbling New York City. Here's what I said in my review:

"the dead & the gone gripped my attention completely, brought tears to my eyes, and made me think about the many things for which I am thankful. The characters, especially Alex and Julie, are three-dimensional, with strengths and flaws, and occasional unreasonable behaviors. In summary, LAWKI fans, this one is worth waiting for."

I learned today, via Susan Beth Pfeffer's blog, that the dead and the gone is in stores now (or at least available for order from Amazon). So, if you liked Life As We Knew It, or if you are in any way a fan of dystopian or post-apocalyptic fiction, I highly recommend that you head on out to get your copy of the dead and the gone. It is not to be missed.

Back in November I reviewed The Market, by J. M. Steele. I'm writing to let you know that it's now available in stores. The Market is about Kate Winthrop, who discovers late during her senior year that some people from her class have an underground "market" on the web. They rank the girls from the class, and bid on them like stocks. Kate takes on the system and strives to move up the rankings, despite the personal cost. In my review, I said:

"What makes the book work, for me (in addition to my admitted fondness for this genre), is that many of Kate's internal musings are things I have thought about myself, almost word for word... All in all, I quite enjoyed The Market. I recommend it for teens, especially those approaching senior year, for adults who are still looking for that "do-over", and for anyone who enjoys teen movies about makeovers."

You can read the full review here. The Market is well worth checking out.

In January I reviewed Julie Bertagna's Exodus, a Dystopian YA novel set in a future world in which the melting polar ice caps have led to world-wide flooding, and the collapse of our current governments. I said:

"Exodus has a lot to offer: a strong female main character, interesting settings, twisting plot, and big-picture questions. The writing style is unusual, sometimes poetic, but also filled with short sentences, and sometimes spare on articles like "an" and "the". It's as though the book was written by someone who loves stories, but who hasn't much time to spare for words, because there's important work to be done. This completely works with the story, and left me feeling like I might just possibly have actually traveled 100 years into the future while I was immersed in the book."

Read the full review here. Exodus is available now. It's a must-read for fans of Dystopian and futuristic/post-apocalyptic fiction. See also Julie Bertagna's comments on my review, and on publication day in general, here.

Back in February I reviewed Mary Had A Little Lamp, written by Jack Lechner and illustrated by Bob Staake. I called it:

"simply hilarious. Told in rhyming verses, this picture book turns the classic "Mary had a little lamb" into modern, kid-friendly humor... I think it would make a wonderful read-aloud title, for classroom or library. Parents of preschoolers will want a copy for home, too, because Mary Had a Little Lamp has the potential to stand up to repeat readings. Highly recommended."

Mary Had a Little Lamp is now available for purchase. Don't miss it! You can find my full review here.

Back in February I reviewed the picture book Doctor Ted, written by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre. I concluded:

"I love this book. Doctor Ted has heart and humor, and reflects the seriousness with which early elementary school children sometimes take their make-believe games. The illustrations are vibrant and engaging, and add considerably to the affection that I feel for Ted. The end of the book hints at further adventures, and I do hope that these adventures come to pass."

The official publication date is April 8th, but Amazon says that Doctor Ted is now available for purchase. I highly highly recommend that you get yourself a copy. Happy reading, and happy celebration of make-believe.

Back in early December I reviewed My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park, a young adult title by Steve Kluger. I said that the book:

"...has a little something for everyone. If you are a Red Sox fan, Patriots fan, musical fan in general, Julie Andrews fan in particular, social activist, budding politician, budding thespian, person just figuring out that you're gay, friend of a person just figuring out that he or she is gay, or hard of hearing, this book has something for for you. And if you are a fan of romance, or you are the kind of person whose heartstrings are likely to be pulled by a 15-year-old boy who misses his long-dead mother, or a six-year-old deaf orphan with a chip on his shoulder and a Mary Poppins obsession, then you'll want to grab this one as soon as it becomes available (in March). As for me, I think it's one I'll read again. And I can offer no higher praise than that."

You can read the full review here. My Most Excellent Year should be available in stores now, and is well worth checking out. It also received a starred review from Kirkus.

In December I reviewed My Life: The Musical, by Maryrose Wood (author of the delightful Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs Fall in Love). My Life: The Musical is scheduled for publication today. It's about a pair of sixteen-year-old best friends who become obsessed with a particular Broadway musical, and how they react when the musical is in danger of being shut down. Of course it's about the strengths, insecurities, and relationships of the two main characters, too. Here's part of my conclusion:

"I highly recommend this title for theater buffs from middle school and up, especially for fans of musicals. Any "drama club geek from the suburbs" (as the author describes herself) will be completely unable to resist, and will be likely to settle in for multiple readings. Although the main characters are sixteen, I think that the book is quite accessible for middle school kids... For those who aren't theater fans, My Life the Musical offers a window into another world, and a chance to see what all the fuss is about."

Read the rest here.