My Boyfriend is a Monster by Evonne Tsang*

Dicey,the star of her high school's baseball team, and Jack Chen, science nerd, become partners in survival when the Zombie Fungus is released in their Florida home town. during one of the skimishes, Jack is bitten and infected with the fungus. After a few car crashes and several zombie attacks, Jack's scientist parents provided the antidote.

I loved the characters in this graphic novel. Dicey is smart, strong, loveable girl who doesn't freak out in a crisis (aka zombie attack). Jack is a quiet, highly intelligent, socially awkward science nerd whose heart is in the right place. Dicey's single parent (dad) family is depicted as loving, strong, and caring. Tsang's zombie graphic novel is perfect for middle school students. I can hardly wait to read Volume 2.

*To be purchased

Nothing by Ghosts by Beth Kephart

After Katie's mother dies, she has been alone far too often with her thoughts. Her father, a restorer of paintings, works long hours in his workshop avoiding the house and the memories of his wife. Katie's summer job is working in the gardens for the mysterious Miss Martine who no one has seen for years. When Katie's questions about Miss Martine go unanswered, she begins digging into the past to find out more about Miss Martine and why she is never seen. As she discovers clues to Miss Martine's past, Katie begins to deal with her mother's death and her father's reclusiveness.

This book was just interesting enough to keep me reading to find out about Miss Martine but the truth just happened. There wasn't enough tension so that when the answer came it was okay. What I did like about the book was how easy it was to read and how the text flowed from one chapter to the next. The quiet tone of the book was equally matched by the text. The story sweeps the reader along with the discoveries Katie makes about her mother and Miss Martine.

Til Death Do Us Bark by Kate Klise*

Secret, Noah Breth's dog, follows Seymour home one day. Noah Breth has recently died and Seymour wants a dog but Olive only likes cats and Iggy doesn't want a dog, especially one that barks continuously. Now Olive and Seymour have runaway from home and Iggy can't complete the next three chapters of his book by the deadline. Noah Breth's children, Kat and Kanine, have come to Ghastly to squabble over their inheritance, which includes Secret. Through all of this lessons of family and forgiveness are learned.

This is the third book in the 43 Cemetary Road series. This is one of the few fun books to read with its letters, notes, and newspaper articles telling the story. The combination of letters and illustrations make reading any book in this series a joy. The characters are loveable but quirky. The story slips in a message unnoticed. When I have students looking for a fun, quick read I hand them a book in the 43 Cemetery Road series.

*To be purchased

Oil Spill by Elaine Landau*

Wonderful coverage of the BP oil spill and the effects on the wildlife, environment, and people who make their living from the ocean. The book also covers the actions taken by BP to stop the oil spill and the containment measures taken by the company to lessen the environmental impact of the spill.

Elain Landau always does a wonderful job with nonfiction and she has done it again. She infused the text with the feel of urgency as the story built to the hoped for capping of the leaking well and she still doesn't let the reader go until the last page. Every aspect of the spill was covered in a text devoid of vocabulary most middle school students wouldn't understand. The photographs are fantastic and seemed to urge the reader forward through the book with the same sense of urgency.

*To be purchased

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Nine children came to Earth as survivors of a war that killed their planet. Their enemies have followed them to Earth and are hunting down the nine one by one, only the children have to killed in numerical order. Each time a child is killed, a scar appears on their ankle to warn them. This has happened three times and "Daniel" knows he is next. Henri, his guardian, and Daniel try to stay one step ahead but they know one day their enemies will find them. That day has come and "Daniel" must fight for his life because the remaining six must stay alive to help reclaim their world, defeat their enemy, and save Earth from the same fate.

Fascinating, fast-paced, and the beginning of the Lorien Legacies series. Great characters with a wonderful story. This book has already been made into a movie by the same name to be released in February 2011. Can't wait to see the movie and get my hands on the next book in the series.

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Secluded island, secret research on a virus strain that isn't supposed to spread from dogs to humans, murder of a young girl, strange new abilities, and the niece of Dr. Temperance Brennan. What you have is an action-packed, fantastic first YA novel from the bestselling author of the Temperance Brennan books and the FOX TV series BONES. Absolutely loved it and I can't wait for the next one.

The Necromancer by Michael Scott

Josh and Sophie are really in a mess. They haven't learned the magics to protect themselves. Dr. Dee is still hunting the twins. Now they don't know if they can trust Nicholas Flamel because he has kept things hidden from them - bad things. Scatty and Joan have disappeared and are nowhere to be found. Nicholas and Perenelle are rapidly aging because the Codex is in the hands of Dr. Dee. Dr. Dee still doesn't have the last two pages of the Codex but he has figured out a way to rule the world - just raise the Mother of the Earth from the dead and release the monsters on Alcatraz Island.

The Necromancer was just as action-packed as the other books in the series. I am getting tired of Josh being weaker of the twins - he always seems like the one who makes matters worse. I am ready for him to be an equal of Sophie's. There is definitely another book in the series probably titles "The Warlock".