“Perpetual Check,” by Rich Wallace

“Perpetual Check,” by Rich Wallace is a riveting story about two brothers who are both chess whizzes.  The only problem is that their shared skill lands them in the same championship, where they must play against each other.

Zeke Mansfield is a high school senior.  He is a bit of a jock, and plays sports most of the time.  But his time in athletics doesn’t stop him from enjoying chess.  Zeke checkmated his father when he was just six years old.  The only problem is that Zeke usually doesn’t bother to concentrate, and when he lets his overconfidence limit him he usually ends up loosing the game. Read the rest »

“Umbrella Summer,” by Lisa Graff

“Umbrella Summer,” by Lisa Graff is a sensitive story about a ten-year-old girl with an obsessive worrying compulsion after her brother’s sudden, unexpected death.

It has been almost a year since Annie and her family suffered the tragic loss of Jared, Annie’s older brother. When Jared was hit in the chest while playing hockey it caused his rare heart disorder to get worse, and he died a couple days later.

Ever since then Annie has been worried about everything. She sees danger in bug bites, and walks her bike down hills to avoid what could be a deadly crash. Read the rest »

“Cyberia,” by Chris Lynch

“Cyberia,” by Chris Lynch is a science fiction adventure about a boy living in the not-to-distant future, in a time when everything is connected electronically, even humans and animals.

Both of Zane’s parents are popular personalities. His mother is a famous news anchor often seen on TV, while his father is the famous voice behind the national radioweb. Zane rarely sees his parents, even though they all spend their time in the same house. Each of them lives in a separate room, connected by electronics and video screens.

Zane’s parents check in periodically over the video screens to tell him that they love him, but Zane isn’t satisfied. Read the rest »

“Bollywood Babes,” by Narinder Dhami

“Bollywood Babes,” by Narinder Dhami is a humorous realistic fiction novel that revolves around Indian culture and three British-Indian girls who invite a Bollywood star to live at their house.

Amber, Geena, and Jazz Dhillon are British girls but they are proud of their Indian background and unique culture.  The plot of the story focuses around a Bollywood party planned for the school by the girls’ aunt, who has come from India to stay with them.  Bollywood is the Indian version of Hollywood, with a distinct Indian flair and cultural influence. Read the rest »

“Shift,” by Jennifer Bradbury

“Shift,” by Jennifer Bradbury is a realistic fiction novel about two boys who embark on a cross country bike journey that will change both of their lives in ways they wouldn’t have imagined.

The main characters in “Shift” are two teenage boys named Christopher and Winston.  Chris and Win have been friends ever since elementary school but they have markedly different personalities and backgrounds.  Christopher’s dad works in a small business and lives a fairly ordinary life.  On the other hand, Winston’s father owns a huge company and uses his financial position to influence senators and get his son accepted by an Ivy League school.
Read the rest »