by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Realistic/Contemporary Fiction
Eleven-year-old Charlie struggles with school and friends and his family. The power of this story lies in the strength of each character: the older sister, who sees the positive in everything; the younger brother, who is popular without even trying; and the parents,...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Sports
Eleven-year-old Felix Piloto would give anything to play baseball. He attends a minor league game, and suddenly finds himself in a case of mistaken identity. Everyone thinks he’s the batboy. His mother does not want him to have anything to do with baseball, but...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Realistic/Contemporary Fiction
Eleven-year-old Gilly Hopkins is about to be placed in another foster home. One look at fat, old Maime Trotter, and Gilly knows she’s got control of this situation, no problem. She knows exactly how to upset the adults and frighten the other kids. What Gilly...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Realistic/Contemporary Fiction
Eleven-year-old Ian lives with his father, a Vietnam veteran. They are homeless people, and they’ve found a great place to live. It has everything: bathrooms, heat, and hardly any people. Then, fate steps in. Suddenly Ian’s father disappears, and Ian is on...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Action / Adventure
Eleven-year-old Mark is a rich kid who has just moved into a new house and, consequently, will attend a new school. But Mark has decided he doesn’t need to get to know the people in this new school and his teacher, Mr. Maxwell, has summed Mark up with some...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Action / Adventure
Just how far has modern science progressed? Could scientists really take a girl, empty her of all of her own traits and replace her genes exactly to her parents’ specifications making her into the perfect daughter? Marcia Slick is horrified to overhear her...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Action / Adventure
Eleven-year-old Theodosia Throckmorton has a tough job. She’s the daughter of museum curators who are constantly bringing new ancient artifacts to the museum for display. Problem is only Theodosia realizes the curses that come with these artifacts and only...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Historical Fiction
Elijah Freeman was the first baby to be born free in the runaway slave settlement of Buxton in Ontario, Canada in 18. Now he’s eleven years old, and, through his eyes and his voice, we walk among and live among the families who are carving out and claiming their...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Fiction
Ella (think Cinderella here) has won the heart of the prince, but now she’s beginning to have second thoughts. This is Ella thinking for herself and believing in herself. When I interviewed Margaret Peterson Haddix, she said she recommends this book for ages 12...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 24, 2009 | Realistic/Contemporary Fiction
Ellie is growing a champion pumpkin for the annual contest. Her father thinks she’s wasting her time. “Growing up is finding out who you are and finding out who you aren’t,” says Gran, and Ellie is finding out she knows how to stick with...
