This Month's Book Reviews

A dog story that is also a coming-of-age story
involving a boy and a puppy

Bill Wallace, author of "Pick of the Litter" is an award-winning author of children's books, with many of them stories about kids and dogs. In this little book, the young boy main character is confronted with several situations where he learns to take responsibility and do the honorable thing, even if it seems to hurt at the time. In addition, it is a good family story depicting the feelings and respect three generations can have for each other. The story has some additional appeal in that it contains an account of how a boy reacts to his first summer romance - a girl, and not just a puppy, can command his respect and affection.

A slick mystery story involving an idealized heroine
in a glamorous setting

"Hannah West and the Belltown Towers" by Linda Johns is a contemporary mystery novel for kids - especially girls. The scene is very much a Seattle, Washington scene since the author is a resident of the city and has had varied jobs there. Hannah West, the main character, is a "cool" kid - she's smart, talented, and quick with her wise-cracks. Well-liked by her peers, she is not the least overawed by adults and holds her own in about any situation. Hannah's mother does not talk down to her and is able to trust her daughter to take care of herself and do the right thing, even though Hannah is only twelve-years-old. Isn't this the way most young female readers would really like to be?

A frontier boy feels rejected by his father
because of a handicapping injury

The paperback novel "Worth" by Alexandria LaFaye was winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 2004. It is the story of a homesteading family in Nebraska in the late 1800's. The son in the family, because of a farm injury, undergoes a long convalescence and emerges no longer able to do heavy farm labor. His father brings home a boy from the Orphan Train, which transports homeless kids from eastern seaboard cities, to live with the family and help around the farm. How the group works its way through early trauma and emerges as a healthy family unit provides the plot for the novel. Young readers can identify with both the injured son and the adopted orphan boy. The mother in the family presents an especially strong figure also.

A paperback for kids that uses an unusual device
to tell its historical account

"The Plague" tells its story with two sections bound together so a reader can start from either the front or back of the novel. The reader is told to read Rachel's, or the girl's account, first and only then to read Robert's, or the boy's account. The story is actually a mystery involving the young main character's efforts to help her father keep from being fleeced out of his business. War, the political turmoil, life in 17th century London, and the terrible Bubonic Plague provide the backdrop for the story. The use of press gangs to kidnap young men and force them into service on British navy ships also plays a part in the storyline. For kids interested in history presented in an exciting fictional format, this is a great read.