The moment I received this book I placed it immediately in the hands of our school's Outdoor Education teacher. She is one of those people who will be elbow deep in dirt at any given moment, teaching kids about earthworms and composting and the like. I knew this would be a perfect book for a teacher like her!
YUCK! goes into delightfully icky detail (with squirm-inducing photos!) about interesting plant and animals who might not win first prize at any beauty contest, but can hold their own in evolutionary competitions. From parasites to stinky plants named after dead bodies this book is perfect for kids who have an interest in science and nature, and are ok with a little "yuck" factor!

The story centers around two sisters, Rose and Lilly, who have been estranged for roughly half a decade. Basically, Lilly has crazy OC issues and has a hard time dealing with how she's always felt like a lonely weirdo. These feelings are exacerbated by the presence of Rose's affectionate, yet autistic, daughter, Antoinette. Antoinette's quirks bring all of Lilly's issues to the foreground and she pretty much can't even. Thus, the estrangement. Oh, and they live in Kentucky. And Rose is terminally ill, so Lilly kind of has to come back home and prepare to become Antoinette's guardian. Because you basically can't say "no thanks" when you're dying sister asks you to get your crap together.

And, of course, there's a love triangle that fans of Team Peta will approve of. But there's also a beautiful element of the miraculous. I mean, Stephanie Knipper didn't call her book The Totally Normal Goings On of Antoinette Martin or Nothin to See Here Folks, Just a Mute Kid, Her Dying Mother, and an Aunt Who Has to Count Things. I'm not going to give away the miracle, but I will say that fans of realistic fiction will not find themselves rolling their eyes. It is elegantly tied in with the storyline without sending the book into the orbit of Planet Unbelievable.

One of my favorite things about the book is how Knipper writes from Antoinette's POV. I haven't read Wonder or Out of My Mind, but I gather that part of the appeal is that they are written from the perspective of the disabled. My show more kids seem to enjoy those books and I've seen them develop a little more compassion for having read them. Knipper writes for Antoinette in a heartbreakingly sweet way that gives voice to her vocally mute character. The love that Antoinette internalizes is inspiring, pure, and achingly selfless. Her struggles in dealing with the impending loss of her mother will make you feel all the feelings.

It's sweet, sad, and satisfying- just maybe not read it on a plane surrounded by strangers unless you are packing tissues and want to pretend you have serious allergies. show less

Dynamic debut by Gina Wohlsdorf, Security is a pitch-perfect thrill ride that is impossible to put down.

Preparations are underway for the grand opening of the exclusive Manderly Resort. As items are checked off to-do lists, a killer systematically stalks the nearly empty hotel. While the killer's bloody progress methodically plods along, the hotel manager, Tessa, ties up loose ends and finesses the small staff. Oblivious to the foreboding threat, Tessa’s productive sprint is halted when someone from her past arrives. Someone she has tried to forget.

Wohlsdorf weaves tension through her mysterious narrator, offering questions, observations, and background- enough to flesh out the narrative, but not enough to distract from the suspense. The element that makes this book unique is Wohlsdorf’s use of split-page narration, immersing the reader a multi-dimensional reading experience.

No time is wasted in this short, but satisfying read (229 pages). Bloody and darkly funny, this thriller stands out from the pack. Recommended for fans of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Quentin Tarantino films.