Daily Archives: May 31, 2016

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Posted on by
Reply

Roller Girl_

Astrid and Nicole have been best friends forever, but their friendship hits a bumpy road during the summer before middle school.  After Astrid’s mom takes the girls to watch Portland’s roller derby team, the Rose City Rollers, play the Oregon City Rollergirls, Astrid decides she wants to sign up for Roller Derby Summer Camp with Nicole. Astrid dreams of becoming a Rose City Roller, while Nicole has no interest what so ever in roller derby. Nicole plans to attend summer dance camp.  Astrid feels abandoned by Nicole and her feelings become even more conflicted when she finds out that her enemy, mean girl Rachel, will be spending more time with Nicole at dance camp.  Astrid deceives her mom who believes that Nicole and Astrid will be attending Roller Derby Summer Camp together, and Nicole’s mom will be picking up the girls after camp. But Astrid attends roller derby camp on her own and walks home every day by herself.  Astrid finds out that Roller Derby Summer Camp is a lot of hard work especially if you don’t know how to skate.  Astrid discovers deceiving her mom is equally as hard.

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm

Posted on by
Reply

Sunny Side Up

Sunshine Lewin, or Sunny as she is known to her family, is sent to spend the summer in Florida with her grandfather.  Sunny’s vision of trips to Disney World and hanging out with other kids at the pool changes quickly when she discovers that her grandfather lives in a retirement community.  There aren’t many kids around and the “big plans” her grandfather has for her each day include trips to the bank and the grocery store. Sunny is facing a summer of complete boredom. Through flashbacks, we learn that Sunny has been sent to her grandfather’s while her parents deal with a family issue.  As the title suggests, Sunny does her best to keep her sunny side up and enjoy her exile in Florida.

Doll Bones by Holly Black

Posted on by
Reply

Doll Bones_Alice, Poppy, and Zach have been friends since elementary school.  They get together every day after school to play a great game of imagination with characters they have developed over the years with each of the friends playing an imaginary character. One of the characters, an antique doll Poppy’s mother keeps locked in a glass cabinet, they call the Great Queen has always had an air of mystery surrounding it.  When Zach’s father returns to the family, he wants Zach to get more into sports, so he pressures Zach to give up the time he spends with his best friends to pursue basketball. Just as Zach’s dad takes a desperate action to end the game leaving Zach feeling he has no choice but to abandon his friends, Poppy approaches Zach with a story of a haunted china doll. Poppy needs Zach and Alice to accompany her on a quest to return the Great Queen to her final resting spot.  Has Poppy made a gruesome discovery or is this just another part of the game?