Safe As Houses

Safe As Houses

   by Eric Walters

How would you feel if you were home with a babysitter during a rainstorm when the city started to flood?  Would you be scared?  Would you wonder when your parents were getting home?  On October 15^th, 1954, this is exactly what happens to David and Suzie and their babysitter, Lizzie.

David and Suzie live near the river in Weston, Ontario.  At first it seems like just an ordinary day – Lizzie picks them up after school and walks them home.  But things change when the backyard starts to flood and David and Suzie’s parents call to say they can’t make it home through the flooded streets.

Lizzie has to stay with the kids overnight, which shouldn’t be too difficult.  But things get a bit frightening when the power goes out and the phone goes dead.  When David wakes up during the night, he discovers that the water has invaded the house. With no parents around to help them, how will they escape?

Safe As Houses is based on true events and is full of suspense and action.  Readers will wonder if they could be as brave as the children in this story given similar circumstances.

The False Prince

By Jennifer A. Nielsen

This one was recommended to me by a young patron. She was so enthusiastic and told me that she had read the entire book in one night. I was intrigued by her excitement and so I snatched it off the shelves and I too read The False Prince in just one night! This is the first book in the Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen.
This story wastes no time in getting into the action and excitement. From the first page the reader is introduced to Sage, a poor orphan living at Mrs. Turbeldy's Orphanage for Disadvantaged Boys. He has stolen a roast to help feed the others and just as he is about to be pummeled for his crime by the butcher a stranger comes to his rescue. Nobel man, Bevin Conner, has purchased Sage along with three other boys in a plan to take the throne. The boys are to impersonate the King's long lost son and become the lost prince of Carthya.
With strong characters, action, mystery and fantasy this book is a home run and I cannot wait to dive into book two, The Runaway King.

Cat's Cradle - The Golden Twine

by Jo Rioux

This graphic novel takes place in a fantastic world, where monsters cross over into human lands and it is up to the monster tamers to send them back. First in a series by Jo Riuox, the Golden Twine tells the story of Suri, a young girl with big dreams of becoming the best monster tamer in the world – now all she has to do is convince everyone around her that she can!

Suri begins her adventure in a travelling caravan, working in the bakery and as a monster taming storyteller. Suri soon discovers that she is destined for much more than simple storytelling, when she finds a roll of golden twine with magical properties.

This wonderfully illustrated book is a great tale of friendship, adventure, and pursuing one’s dreams, no matter the obstacles. A Red Cedar Book Award winner, The Golden Twine is sure to please fans of the Bone and Amulet series.

A Hole In My Heart

A Hole In My Heart

by Rie Charles

     Set in North Vancouver in 1959, 12 year old Nora, who's mother has recently passed, has moved from Penticton for her father's work. Her two older sisters are also there as nurses in training. Nora feels isolated and neglected by her father, who is withdrawn and refuses to talk about her mother. The story is interspersed by letters from Nora's cousin and best friend, Lizzie, who was born with a hole in her heart. Lizzie and her parents stay with Nora's family for a cutting edge heart surgery, and Nora fears that she will lose her too.
     I enjoy this book, however be aware that it tackles some heavy topics. It addresses grief, bullying, and the abuse of one of Nora's classmates. The characters feel real and this is a good book about loss and being honest about one's emotions.