My 2 Cents on Matched

Matched has a natural ability to weave the gripping twists of a mystery and the genuine emotions of a romance into one plot, giving it a creative edge over typical YA dystopian sci-fi books. Sometime in the far future, people live in a utopian world of tranquility watched over by the Society. The defining feature of … Continue reading My 2 Cents on Matched →

My 2 Cents on The School Story

A girl with an amazing novel in her hands and her best friend who pushes and pushes to get it out there — even when the publication process gets glossed over at times, the signatures of memorable characters, snappy dialogue, and sincere story/character arcs from Andrew Clements' other books (Frindle, Lunch Money) are clearly present … Continue reading My 2 Cents on The School Story →

My 2 Cents on The Gollywhopper Games

Playing in a gigantic puzzle competition with a sliver of hope for the title of champion — you'll be right there with Gil as he does just that in one of my favorite books, The Gollywhopper Games, his compelling quest aided by Jody Feldman's snappy voice and her intelligent brainteasers. Gil's family has been shunned … Continue reading My 2 Cents on The Gollywhopper Games →

My 2 Cents on The Gollywhopper Games

My 2 Cents on Legend

If you're rummaging through the seemingly-endless heap of YA dystopian science-fiction novels, keep your eyes peeled for the silver-and-golden dust jacket of Legend by Marie Lu (Warcross, The Young Elites).

My 2 Cents on The Puzzling World of Winston Breen

If you're in the mood for a good treasure hunt, clever puzzles, or a mystery surrounding a would-be thief, one of my favorite books, The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin, will go above and beyond to fulfill all three conditions.

My 2 Cents on Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

All the imaginative oddities, tricky unpredictabilities, and absurd eccentricities of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory jam-packed into a library — what an apt way to describe such an institution in the hands of a certain Mr. Luigi L. Lemoncello.