Pop by Gordon Korman Nutmeg Synopsis: Quarterback Marcus Jordan has a big problem: his new school isn’t interested in adding Marcus to their winning football team. Practicing in the park, Marcus meets a childlike 50-year-old man named Charlie with startling football abilities. Charlie’s pranks and spotty memory make Marcus wonder what Charlie’s story is.
The Teen Librarian's Review: This isn't just another football book, and I really enjoyed that. Yes, football was a huge part, but Marcus's investigation into Charlie's life and daily life at an unwelcoming school made this book great for everyone.
Ostrich Boys by Keith GrayNutmeg Synopsis: After their best friend Ross dies, English teenagers Blake, Kenny, and Sim plan a proper memorial by taking his ashes to Ross,
Scotland, an adventure-filled journey that tests their loyalty to each other and forces them to question what friendship means.
The Teen Librarian's Review: I put off reading this book for as long as I could. It wasn't until I tried listening to Ostrich Boys (the Booth & Dimock Memorial Library owns the audio book) that I really became interested. I highly recommend listening to the audio copy. All of the voices have British accents and hearing them helps to follow their story and really enjoy their journey. Their road trip is an exciting adventure, including trains, cars, bungee jumping and girls.
The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon Nutmeg Synopsis: The year is 1968 and the Civil Rights Movement is in full swing in Chicago, Illinois. Teenager Sam Childs is caught between his
father, who follows the non-violent path of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and his older brother who has joined the Black Panther Party and its sometimes violent methods. Will Sam choose the rock or the river?
The Teen Librarian's Review: This is a look at the civil rights movement that is not often seen in Teen Literature. Sam is torn between is father, his brother and his conscience.
Viola in the Reel Life by Adriana TrigianiNutmeg Synopsis: Aspiring filmmaker 14-year-old Viola is the child of devoted documentary filmmakers, but her parents’ overseas assignment brings
her to Prefect Academy, a boarding school for girls. Viola is sure that she’ll hate Prefect, but she befriends her roommates, learning that she can flourish in a new environment.
The Teen Librarian's Review: This is a perfect chick-lit book. Viola has friend trouble, boy trouble, theater and film. If you are tired of the many distopian novels on this year's nutmeg list, read Viola in the Reel Life and watch out for the sequel Viola in the Spotlight.
The Compound by S.A. BodeenNutmeg Synopsis: Nine-year-old Eli, his sisters, and parents move into the Compound, an expansive underground bunker built by Eli's billionaire
father as a refuge from nuclear attack. Waiting for the outside environment to be safe to reenter, fifteen-year-old Eli is starting to have doubts about his father's motives, explanations, and sanity. Can Eli trust his father?
The Teen Librarian's Review: Eli's situation is horrifying. Even though he has is family, he has grown away from them, locked in a bunker, certain the the outside world has been destroyed. When things take a turn for the worse inside the shelter, Eli has to work with his family to find away to escape.
