Simon Bloom, the Gravity Keeper

Simon Bloom is on his way home when he feels a breeze. The breeze seems to blow him in a certain direction and he ends up in Dunkerhook Woods, a magical place where he finds a magical book - The Teacher's Edition of Physics. Simon takes the book home and finds it is full of formulas - not very interesting until he tries one and finds himself floating around in his bedroom like an astronaut in outer space. He and his friends Owen and Alysha try out some more of the formulas and are having a great time until they discover that others are after the book and their lives are in danger. They must learn the formulas and be able to use them at a moments notice in order to save the book and return it to its rightful owner. This was a funny science fiction story with lots of actual explanations of scientific principals and how they could be applied or what would happen if they were not there. Kids who like science would love this book. The information about the author on the back blurb was very funny and could be used in an introduction to the book. This is his first novel, but I see a series on the way.

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Capricorn (Cap) Anderson - 13 year old boy raised on a commune and home schooled who knows nothing about today's life
Rain - Cap's hippie grandmother who has lived on a commune for 40 years and breaks her hip
Garland - the hippie commune where Cap and Rain live
Claverage Middle School - nicknamed C Average - the public school where Cap is sent when his grandmother goes to the hospital
Zach Powers - the most popular boy at Claverage (C Average) Middle School, who always nominates the biggest nerd for class president
Hugh Winkleman - the nerdiest kid at Claverage Middle School and target of all of Zach's jokes until Cap shows up
Lena Young - cheerleader and Zach's girl friend
Mrs. Donnelly - the social worker who takes Zach in while Rain is in the hospital. She used to live at the commune herself
Sophie - Mrs. Donnelly's beautiful daughter who hates Cap until she finds out what he is really like
Mr. Kasigi - principal of Claverage Middle School who gives Cap the check book for the student activity fund without explaining to him how money works
Naomi Erlanger - a girl who likes Zach and is helping him with his pranks until she discovers that she likes Cap
Darryl Pennyfield - best tackler on the football team who creams Cap during one of Zach's pranks and sends Cap to the hospital
Halloween - the night of the dance Cap has planned that becomes his memorial service, even though he's not dead

A funny story about a young man who jumps from the 1960s life style into the 21st century. Because of his caring about others, the students learn to respect him.

Getting the Girl by Susan Juby

What if everyone at your school suddenly stopped talking to you? That is a real threat for the students at Sherman Mack’s school - Harewood Tech. It’s called Defiling. Someone posts a girl’s picture on the bathroom mirror and writes a ‘D’ beside their name. In no time at all the word will spread through the school and it’s like the girl doesn’t even exist.

What if you start to think that your friend will be the next one who will be Defiled? What would you do?

Sherman Mack finds himself in just this situation in Susan Juby’s Getting the Girl. Check out this hilarious book to find out whether or not his undercover investigation stops the Defiling at his school.
by Kayla Sommerville
(from Nancy Keane's booktalking class)

Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress by Maria Padian

Who is Brett McCarthy?
Is Brett doomed to social failure?
Will she become an outcast after the “phone thing”?
Is it possible that Brett is now a juvenile delinquent?
How long will Brett have to eat lunch with No Hare?
Will the mean gossip girls ruin her life forever?
Find out in this hard to put down pageturner. You might find yourself laughing.
You might find yourself experiencing a whole range of emotions as Brett sorts out what has happened, deals with the changes in her life and her story unfolds in this fast read. I truly enjoyed this book and I recommend it highly.
by Ann Gilmartin
(from Nancy Keane's booktalking course)