Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston, illustrated by Victor Rivas

Zorgamazoo

by Robert Paul Weston, illustrated by Victor Rivas
Razorbill, 2008

GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure, Poetry, Science Fiction, Horror

HONORS: Children's Choice Book Award 2009, Booklist Top Ten Debut 2008, Silver Birch Prize: Winner 2010, E. B. White Honour 2009, Children's Literature Assembly Notable Book 2009, California Young Reader Medal: Nominee 2011, Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award: Nominee 2011

REVIEW: Katrina Katrell can’t wait till she’s grown, to finally be free of vile Mrs. Kabrone. A guardian cruel, who’d never sweet talk and oft threatened to take her to the lobotomy doc. So far away Katrina does flee, it’s in her best interest, I’m sure you’d agree. “Morty” is the nickname for Mortimer Yorgle, a rumpled but pleasant and welcoming Zorgle. To his chagrin, Morty was placed in a raffle of sorts, the prize is adventure, not relaxing resorts. So Morty embarks on his questing debut, to find the missing Zorgles of Zorgamazoo. Katrina and Morty began unattached, but soon their paths cross and a plan is hatched. Katrina and Morty, together they knew, they must find the Zorgles of Zorgamazoo!

OPINION: Nearly every kid has a soft spot for Dr. Seuss, and if he wrote a novel I’m pretty sure it would turn out a lot like Zorgamazoo. The poetic style of rhyming couplets are infectious and will have you thinking in rhyme for hours after you set the book down. Aside from the unique writing style, it also pairs Neil Gaiman-esque black and white illustration with a great story – which seems like it might be difficult to do completely in rhyme.

IDEAS: Zorgamazoo could inspire another type of poetry lesson/program. Tween/Teens could be asked to write a short story completely in rhyme, in the style of Zorgamazoo.

The Avengers (film) by Walt Disney Pictures

The Avengers
Film
by Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, 2012

GENRE: Action, Adventure, Superhero

HONORS: None known

REVIEW:  The misguided god, Loki is offered an extraterrestrial army if he can retrieve the powerful energy source known as the Tesseract. An unlikely group of people with superhero powers including Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America join forces along with the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to save both the Earth and Asgard from Loki and his army, and the Tesseracts immense power.

OPINION: An excellent superhero action movie that will appeal to men and women of all ages. I saw it in 3-D, but I don’t think it added much to the overall enjoyment of the movie. It would also be a great treat for fans of the work of Joss Whedon. I can’t wait for the sequel!

IDEAS: The Avengers include superhero reincarnations of the Norse gods Thor and Loki. The Avengers serve as a great introduction to a lesson on mythology and can segue into the reading of mythic fiction.

39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

39 Clues: The Maze of Bones
by Rick Riordan
Scholastic, 2008

GENRE: Mystery, Adventure

HONORS: None known

REVIEW: After a last minute change before her death, at the reading of her will Grace Cahill gives her family two options: walk away with a million dollars, or take the first of 39 clues that will lead to something of great power. Amy and Dan were orphans who lived in the care of their Aunt Beatrice, but were very close with Grace and considered themselves her favorites. Grace had always told Amy that she would go on great adventures and accomplish great things. Could this be the adventure Grace had in mind?

OPINION: I had heard much criticism that this series is just a big marketing scheme, and while I can see where they are coming from, I still found the book and story highly entertaining and am eager to finish the rest of the series.

IDEAS: This book is just asking for some sort of 39 Clues event/program that involves a scavenger hunt for the tween and teen attendees. The book would also fit well in a mystery/adventure display.

Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter

Warriors: Into the Wild
by Erin Hunter
Harper Collins, 2004

GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure

HONORS: 2006 Young Reader’s Choice Award – 3^rd Place, Booklist’s 2003 Top Ten Fantasy Books

REVIEW: Rusty is an ordinary housecat with big dreams of roaming free and catching mice. One day, he gets the opportunity to test his hunting skills in the field behind his house. He fails, but meets Bluestar, the leader of a clan of wild cats who sees potential in Rusty. Bluestar offers him the opportunity to leave his “kittypet” lifestyle and join the Thunderclan where he will train to be a warrior, and change his life forever.

OPINION: This series is immensely popular with the kids and tweens in my library, so I felt the need to see what all the hype was about. At first, I felt a little silly about the terminology like “kittypet” and “sharing tongues” and the cats’ names, but once I got into it I found it very enjoyable, and it was exciting to get to relate to some of the tween customers through this series.

IDEAS: This book is the first of a big series with a few sister series’. A display of only Warriors/Seekers/Clan books could be made, or the library could host a “Warrior Challenge” of games and challenges based on the books and warrior training.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
Hyperion Books for Children, 2005

GENRE: Mythic Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure

HONORS: New York Times Notable Book of 2005, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and VOYA Top Shelf Fiction List for 2005

REVIEW: After learning that he is a demigod, meaning the offspring of a Greek God, Percy Jackson is transferred to Camp Half-blood – a summer camp for demigods. Percy soon learns that Zeus’s powerful Lightning Bolt has been stolen, and that he is the main suspect. Along with a Satyr named Grover and a daughter of Athena named Annabeth, the three embark on the adventure of a lifetime to prevent a war of the Gods and clear Percy’s name.

OPINION: This is the book that got me excited about mythic fiction. I really liked the concept of drawing from existing mythologies and making them viable for existence in the modern world. It was interesting, exciting and nearly believable!

IDEAS: A Greek God Challenge would be a really fun tie-in program to see if teens/tweens have the smarts of Athena, mastery of the water like Poseidon or of the air like Zeus. Or more simply, it could be used in a Greek or Mythic Fiction themed display.

Peak by Roland Smith

Peak

by Roland Smith

Harcourt, 2007

GENRE: Sports Fiction (Mountain Climbing), Adventure, Survival

HONORS: National Outdoor Book Award, Miami Herald Best Kid's Books for 2007, 2008/2009 Texas Lone Star Reading List, Booklist Editor's Choice, 2008 Best books for Young Adults, 2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 2008 Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults, New York Public Library's 2008 Books for the Teen Age List

REVIEW: After the 14-year-old son of mountaineering parents is arrested for climbing a New York skyscraper to graffiti his signature blue mountain peak tag, Peak Marcello is sent to live with his father in China. But instead of China, Peak’s father takes him into Tibet where they will attempt to make Peak the youngest person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Can Peak make it to the top? Or is he simply a pawn in one of his father’s games?

OPINION: I had no idea what I was getting into when I first started listening to this audio book, but it quickly sucked me in to its fast paced and intriguing story. I had never heard much about the climbing of Everest and was fascinated to learn about it through the narrative of the story and it made me want to further investigate non-fiction about climbing to see examples of things like “crampons” and other climbing gear I was reading about. It was an exciting and captivating read!

IDEAS: I would incorporate this book into a tween and/or teen program involving sports and adventure where they would participate in mini game competitions as a sort of “Table Top Olympics” that mimic various sports portrayed in books including table football, playing card “mountain” building and a paper toss. I would also include this in a sports fiction display and one about mountain climbing.

Kid Vs. Squid by Greg Van Eekhout

Kid Vs. Squid
by Greg Van Eekhout
Bloomsbury, 2010

GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure

HONORS: None known

REVIEW: Thatcher Hill spends his summers working in his uncle’s Museum of Curiosities in the California beach town of Los Huesos. Late one night, a mysterious girl breaks into the museum and steals one of the curiosities. In an attempt to catch the thief, Thatcher follows her only to embark on a magical adventure to break an evil witch’s curse!

OPINION: Great for boys and younger tweens, it is a fast-paced and exciting magical adventure. My only criticism is that the title and cover might be a little misleading as I expected something similar to Pirates of the Caribbean and giant squids attacking ships, but was met with magic, witches and curses. Squid may be in the title, but make up only a small part of the plot.

IDEAS: Would be great in an adventure themed display such as “Reading: It’s an adventure!” or in a display of books that might be enticing for reluctant readers.