Remarkably...odd?

Maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind when reading Remarkable by Lizzie K. Foley, but it was so absurd that I had a tough time getting through it!  Ten-year-old Jane Doe is the only ordinary person in the town of Remarkable, where everyone has some extraordinary talent.  She's also the only student not admitted to the School for the Remarkably Gifted, and when she's joined at the public school (yes, shes's been the only kid there) by the trouble-making Grimlet twins, her life gets a little crazy.  Or perhaps things got out of hand because of the pirate who showed up, the argument over which town has the best jelly, the sea serpent named Lucky, the fifth-grade teacher who's oddly proficient at teaching pirate skills, the psychic pizza-maker, or the missing composer.  I thought there were too many strangely different elements for the story to come together, and the message that it's okay to be average gets completely buried...what's your opinion?

If you like the Wimpy Kid...

...you probably like books that are funny, and you can't much goofier than NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley.  With code names like Wheezer, Gluestick, and Pufferfish, a group of six 5th graders has been trained as spies, getting "upgrades" to their weaknesses.  Who knew that asthma inhalers and braces could help save the world from the evil Dr. Jigsaw?  The pace is quick, the action is totally absurd, the occasional illustrations are fun, and the reader has to pass several security clearances - but don't worry, your thumbprint, spit, or money will work just fine!  The first in a series that has its own web site (http://www.abramsbooks.com/nerds/), the fifth title is coming out in August.

A thoughtful book...good for the soul

If you've had enough of crazy action-packed stories and would like something a bit more thoughtful, a bit more lyrical, try Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor. Raine is 12, and she can't figure out why her mom decided to move the two of them to an artists' colony for a summer job, leaving her Grampa Mac back in Milwaukee.  And there are more mysteries and secrets to figure out: what happened to the orphans who lived in the main house of the colony, years ago?  Why is Viktor, the owner, so cold, and why does Raine's mom seem to know him?  What is the connection between Viktor and Lillian, the sweet, frail, elderly artist who keeps calling Raine an orphan?  And will Raine finally found out who her father is?  The importance of art, dreaming, and forgiveness all play a role in this quiet, contemplative story.

Three lives weaving together

The main characters in The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby definitely need to work together if they're each going to get their wish.  Giuseppe is an orphan who scrounges a living by playing the violin; he wants to escape his wicked master and go back to Italy.  Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker; if he can figure out how to complete the project he's secretly working on, he'll be able to be employed on his own. And Hannah, a lowly maid in a glamorous hotel, wants to find a hidden treasure so she can support her family.  Although I wasn't crazy about the ending - there's a fantasy element thrown in that I wish weren't there - I enjoyed the characters, and the author's description of the sights, sounds, and smells of the various settings really pulled me into the story.

A must-read for animal lovers

If you're concerned about animals and how they're treated, you've got to read The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.  The narrator is actually Ivan, a gorilla who's lived for many years at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.  Living conditions aren't great, but Ivan generally accepts them as he makes clever observations of the animals and humans around him.  However, his friend Stella the elephant was injured and has been ignored (mistreated?) for too long.  Ruby, a baby elephant, joins the group, and as Stella is dying, Ivan promises that he'll help Ruby have a better life. But how will he do it?  Winner of the 2013 Newbery Award and inspired by a real gorilla who's now living at Zoo Atlanta, the story is heart-warming, funny, and thought-provoking.

"They'd never suspect the secret I was hiding"

If you're looking for a good book for the beach, try Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker. After her mom leaves her (again), Stella is sent to live with her Great Aunt Louise, who tends to a cottage colony on a beach in Cape Cod.  Foster child Angela is living there, too, and even though she and Stella are about the same age, they do NOT get along.  When Louise suddenly dies, the girls are afraid they'll be thrown back into the foster care world; they secretly bury Louise and decide to team up and manage the cottages, surviving on the vacationers' left-over food and tips.  The story is told in Stella's voice, and her descriptions - from families tumbling out of their cars to begin vacation to her on-again, off-again friendship with Angela  - are spot on.  But how long can the girls keep their secret?