GreenBeanTeenQueen

Genre: Mystery Release Date: 8/4/2015 Add to Goodreads About the Book:  After her parents divorce and Zoe moves with her mom to upstate New York, the last thing she expected was to meet someone like Digby. No one really likes Digby when they first meet him-he's eccentric and annoying and only shows up when he wants something. Zoe just wants to survive her junior year with good grades and no problems so she can move back to NYC with her dad and attend a private school for her senior year. But Digby will change all of that. When you're with Digby, you can't help but get pulled into his madcap schemes and (sometimes illegal) hijinks. Digby's on a planet all his own and Zoe can't help but get pulled in as Digby tries to solve the mystery of a local missing girl and discover if it has any connection to the disappearance of his sister years before. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: The book marketing this meets that for this book is perfect-imagine Veronica Mars mixed wi...

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John Add to Goodreads About the Book:  Miles is not excited to be moving to Yawnee Valley-how exciting can a place be when there's a yawn right in the name? Miles was known as the best prankster in his old town, always pulling stunts on his friends. When he discovers that Yawnee Valley already has a prankster, Miles has to figure out who it is-and take the prankster down. Each one tries to one up each other, leading to more epic pranks and jokes in a hilarious prank war. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: This book is sure to inspire tween pranksters everywhere! The Terrible Two  is the hilarious tale of two epic pranksters had me cracking up. I listened to the audiobook, so while I'm sure the book itself is great (there are illustrations inside making a perfect book to give kids who are enjoying chapter books with illustrations) I loved the audiobook so very much. Adam Verner, the narrator , offers up a variety of voices for the characte...

Add to Goodreads Visit Sharon Biggs Waller Online About the Book: In 1909 London, girls are expected to follow the rules, behave, and marry well. But Victoria Darling wants none of those things-she wants to be an artist. Her passion for art takes a turn when she scandalizes her family by posing nude at her secret art class. She is pulled from her finishing school and returned home where her parents arrange a marriage for her to the wealthy  Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky wants other things for her future-she wants to attend the Royal Academy of Art and she knows she can make it-but she has to finish her portfolio. She befriends a local policeman who becomes her muse and gets caught up in the burgeoning suffragette movement. Vicky wants to choose her own path and she is determined to make that happen. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says:  I love historical drama set in this time period anyway, so I was sure to fall for this book, but there was so much happening and V...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary/Greek Mythology Release Date: 3/11/2014 Add to Goodreads About the Book:  Haden Lord is a prince of the Underrealm-but he's a disgrace to his father and the court. It comes as a surprise when Haden is chosen by the oracle as the new Champion-the one to cross through Persephone's gate in order to bring back the latest boon. Only Haden's quest is different. His chosen girl, Daphne Raines, isn't an ordinary boon-she's the cypher and could be the key to restore immortality to the Underrealm. Haden goes undercover at Olympus Hills High School and has six months to return with Daphne. But fate has other plans as Daphne and Haden uncover more secrets about the Underrealm and their destiny. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I really love stories based on Greek Mythology, so when I first heard about Into the Dark  I was excited but wary. The Persephone myth seems like a popular trend right now in YA and I wasn't sure how yet anoth...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Alternate History/Fantasy Release Date: 4/1/2014 Add to Goodreads About the Book : Aelwyn Myrddn is returning the palace after four years away  in Avalon. She is the daughter of the Head Merlin and will serve the kingdom and her  childhood friend Princess Marie and the Franco-British Empire with her magic. In order to secure peace with Prussia, Marie is to marry Prince Leopold, but she has no desire to rule.  Leopold was previously engaged to Isabelle, but that engagement is dissolving and Isabelle is determined to keep Leopold for herself-she needs an escape from her awful cousin and guardian. Leopold's brother, Wolf, is reckless and rebellious and an embarrassment to the kingdom. Ronan Astor is traveling to London for the season to catch a rich titled bachelor to save her family's wealth.  Aelwyn and Marie find themselves caught between duty to the kingdom and dreams of a different life. So when they devise a plan that could grant t...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary Release Date: 1/8/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book: For her graduation, Allyson is spending part of the summer on a tour of Europe. The tour has been just OK, but nothing life changing. Until Allyson meets Willem at a performance of Twelfth Night . The two decide to be spontaneous and spend a day together in Paris. Over the next year, Allyson comes to term with her memorable day in Paris and how her life has changed because of her experiences. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says:  I had heard so much about this book billed as a romance. And yes, there are certainly romantic elements, but this is more a story of Allyson coming of age and growing into adulthood. With all the talk about "new adult" as a genre, I could see Just One Day  falling into that category. Just One Day is a story of a girl after high school and trying to figure out where she fits. All her life Allyson has had things mapped out for her, followed her mother's...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Humor/Mystery Release Date: 9/3/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Wilmer Dooley is a scientist. His father always says "observe!" and that's just what Wilmer loves to do. So when Wilmer notices the kids at school start turning strange colors and have an excess of energy, Wilmer decides to research this strange new plague outbreak and he's sure to win the Science Medal with a cure! But Wilmer's nemesis is on his tail and the science teacher Mrs. Padgett just knows Wilmer is up to no good. Can Wilmer solve the mystery, save the school, and maybe even win the heart of his crush Roxie? GreenBeanTeenQueen Says:  Science and humor make for an awesome blend in Contagious Colors of Mumpley Middle School . Wilmer is an incredibly likable character-his scientific observations and his crush on Roxie make him incredibly endearing-he reminds me a young Leonard from Big Bang Theory . Wilmer loves to observe and make scientific discoverie...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Fairy Tale/Fantasy Release Date: 8/27/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Whatever happened after Sleeping Beauty woke up? Sleeping Beauty and her Prince married and had two daughters who live isolated,  kept safe, and never allowed to touch anything sharp-although they don't know why. They discover the truth about their mother's past and learn that the eldest daughter, Aurora, has been cursed just like her mother. If Aurora pricks her finger, she will fall into a sleep and outlive everyone around her as she sleeps for 100 years. The sisters decide to take part in a quest to track down the fairy that could alter Aurora's curse before it's too late. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Fairy tales never go out of style-and my middle grade readers make this apparent on a regular basis. Fairy tales and fairy tale retellings are incredibly popular with the readers at my library and Diane Zahler is an author to put at the top of your lis...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Mystery/Horror Release Date: 5/7/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book:  Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been friends for a long time, bonding over a game they play with various action figures and toys and telling stories about pirates, mermaids, and queens in their magical world. One of their characters is The Queen, a mysterious china doll they are told not to touch. One evening, Poppy appears and tells Zach and Alice that she is being haunted by The Queen and that the doll is made from human bone and holding the ash of a murdered girl. It is their quest to return The Queen to where she lived and bury her, or they will be cursed. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says:   It never fails that I have middle grade readers coming into my library on a regular basis looking for scary stories. Doll Bones is going to the top of my list of books I will hand over to those readers. Holly Black manages to create a spooky story about ghosts and dolls while also weaving i...

Rating 4/5 Stars Genre: Graphic Novel Release Date: 8/27/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Roan can't wait to attend pilot academy, just like his dad and his older brother. But when Roan isn't accepted to the school, he thinks maybe boring plants are in his future. Until he unexpectedly receives an acceptance letter to Jedi Academy, a school that typically recruits kids when they are very young. Sure, they use the force there and they have these cool things called lightsabers, but is Roan really meant to be a Jedi? GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: If the readers you work with are anything like the readers I see at my library, they ask for two things on a regular basis: Star Wars and books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid . Enter Jeffrey Brown to give kids exactly what they've been asking for and didn't know it-a graphic novel Wimpy Kid-esque Star Wars story. The book is told through Roan's journal entries, comic panels, homework, observations about teachers, sc...

 I am so delighted to be kicking off the blog tour for Kathi Appelt's latest novel, The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp . This book is perfect for animal fans. I was also lucky enough to interview Ms. Appelt-check out the interview below! Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary/Animal Stories/Family Stories/Folklore Release Date: 7/23/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book:  Something is brewing in the Sugar Man Swamp. Two new scouts, Bingo and J'miah are on the lookout and they're curious about the mysterious rumbling that is happening. They think they should wake the Sugar Man-the legendary creature who rules the swamp and loves sugarcane-but no one has seen the Sugar Man in years. Chap Brayburn is looking for a way to save his mother's fried pie shop. It's on the beaten path, so customers are scarce. They need to give Sonny Boy a boat load of money or else world champion alligator wrestler Jaeger Stitch will get to turn the swamp into a alligator wr...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Graphic Novel Release Date: 7/23/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book: In the summer of 1908 a visiting vaudeville troupe is spending the summer in Bluffton. Henry and his friends have a chance to visit and spend time with tightrope walkers, exotic animals and make friends with a young slapstick performer named Buster Keaton. Buster is indestructible-he be tossed around, jump anywhere and never get hurt. Henry longs to learn Buster's tricks, but Buster wants to play ball with Henry and his friends. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I remember first hearing about this book at ALA Midwinter last year. All of the librarians gasped with excitement when they heard Matt Phelan and Buster Keaton used in the same sentence-myself included. So when an advanced copy crossed my desk at work, I knew I had to read it. Happily, I was not disappointed. Bluffton is a story about Buster Keaton told through the eyes of Henry, a boy from a neighboring town who is fascinat...

  Rating: 4/5 Stars Release Date: 8/27/2013   Genre: Contemporary/Novel in Verse About the Book: Colette's friends have a joke about her-"How can you tell if Colette is lying? Her mouth is open." Colette can't help but tell lies. Maybe it's because she's the daughter of a very famous actress and she's crying out for attention. Maybe it's because she just likes elaborate stories. When Colette's mother drags Colette and her yonger brother to the middle of nowhere California for a movie shoot, Colette meets a mysterious and handsome biker named Connor. So what if Colette lies-she can stretch the truth a little bit, right?   GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: To be perfectly honest, I'm a big fan of Sonya Sones. I just want to tell you that right away. So maybe I was a bit biased as I read this one because I was so excited she had a new book coming out. But if I'm perfectly honest, I have to say that this book was a blast, and not jus...

I've been working my way through the state book award lists over the past few months and luckily by library has lots of the nominated titles on audiobook. Here are some of my recent favorites from the state list in audiobook format:                                   Variant by Robinson Wells   Rating: 4/5 Stars When Benson gets a full scholarship to Maxfield Academy, he doesn't think twice about it. But once he arrives he realizes this is no ordinary school. A strange boarding school, no adults, and weird rules? I was sold from the start. The narrator does a great job of building the suspense and the author excels at keeping the reader (or listener in this case) guessing. It's a twisty mystery that was a blast to listen to. And trust me, there's an ending you'll never see coming and when you get there, you'll be s...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Humor Release Date: 6/4/2013 About the Book: Louie wants nothing more than to be a stand up comedian. He has his own stage built in his closet and he practices his act in front of his clothes. He wants to be just like his late night hero, Lou Lafferman. But whenever Louie gets on stage, he gets stage fright. With the fifth-grade talent show coming up, Louie could get his big break. Will be the star of the show or will he be the chicken? GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I love funny books and The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger is a perfect read to add to your list if you're looking for something to make you laugh out loud. It's perfect for readers looking for something along the lines of The Creature From My Closet or Origami Yoda series. I think the humor style will be exactly what those readers are looking for. While it's illustrated with several illustrations throughout, it's not as illustrated as the comic-style Wimpy Kid types, but I th...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary/Novel in Verse Release Date: 3/5/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book: Sam is excited for his special fishing day with dad-that is until his annoying little sister Lucy comes along. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says : I love novels in verse and Gone Fishing is a perfect introduction to the format for young tweens. I think that while this could easily fit into the tween category, it might be the younger side of the tweens who are perfect for this one. Sam seems about eight or nine in the book. The poems have different narrators from Sam, Lucy and Dad but it's mostly Sam that we hear from throughout. He's having a rough day having his sister tag along and he's not catching any fish. The author does a great job expressing Sam's emotions throughout with his annoyance and frustration about his trip and then also his excitement and change of heart when things start to go well. What I really loved was how the author used various for...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Historical Release Date: 10/25/2011 Add to Goodreads About the Book: For graduation, Frankie receives a scrapbook and typewriter. Frankie begins chronicling her life in her scrapbook-from school, to a mysterious Captain James who sweeps Frankie off her feet, to finding old friends and making new ones. Frankie's story of a girl coming of age in the roaring 20s is told all through scrapbook pages and vintage photographs, postcards, advertisements, and more. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I first heard about this book when in won a 2012 Alex Award . When I found out it was told all in pictures and memorabilia, I knew I had to read it. Frankie's story is so whimsical and fun, yet it's also heartfelt story of a girl who is trying to grow up, become independent, and figure out who she is during that crazy time of early adulthood. I love the way the author chose to tell Frankie's story through a scrapbook. There's a sticker on the cove...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary Release Date: 3/26/3013 Add to Goodreads About the Book:  Living deep in the wood where they can't be found, Carey and her sister Janessa depend on each other. Their mother comes and goes and all they know of the world is what their mother tells them. When two strangers arrive and Carey is reunited with her estranged father, Carey begins to question everything she has ever known. But as she is reintroduced into a world she has long ago left, Carey is afraid to reveal her secrets, including why her sister Janessa has not uttered a word in over a year. Is Carey's father telling the truth about her long forgotten past? And can Carey learn to open up and learn to trust again? GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I am so glad to finally see If You Find Me  on the shelf! I was lucky enough to read an early copy of this book last year and I've wanted to talk to everyone about it ever since. If You Find Me is a contemporary story that felt li...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Historical Release Date: 2/12/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book: After leaving Uncle Chester's homestead, Hattie has a new dream. She would like to become a reporter. When the chance to become a seamstress with a traveling acting troupe arises, Hattie jumps on the opportunity to travel to a big city and ends up in San Francisco. Hattie has found a letter and a love token from Uncle Chester's old flame in San Francisco and maybe this is her chance to find out more about her mysterious uncle. Plus there's so much opportunity in San Francisco and Hattie will work hard to make her dreams come true. GreenBeanTeenQueen Says:  So as I went to review Hattie Ever After, I looked to see if I had ever reviewed Hattie Big Sky , which I had not. So I need to remedy that soon (but that may require a reread!) But all you need to know is I loved the first book-it appealed to tween Sarah who loved historical fiction and Hattie's adventures as she ...

Rating: 4/5 Stars Genre: Contemporary Release Date: 3/5/2013 Add to Goodreads About the Book:  Everyone in Ruby's town knows that if you make a wish on your birthday and a quarter with your birthday year goes through the statue of Captain Bunning's donut, your wish will come true on Bunning Day. Ruby didn't listen to her grandmother and grandmother recently passed away. Ruby wants to know what it was her grandmother was trying to tell her. Plus Ruby's  best friend isn't speaking to her, her new friend is mad at her too, and Ruby's world is spinning out of control. Will her Bunning Day wish help her put everything straight? GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Linda Urban is a tween queen. I've been a fan of her books since her debut with A Crooked Kind of Perfect and Ms. Urban is a master at writing tween voices. She gets right to the heart of a story-you try and not get misty when you read a Linda Urban book. In The Center of Everything Ms. Urban writes...