Sun fairies both good and evil, monstrous creatures, adventure, magic, a talking strawberry bush, ant royalty, and an epic battle for the freedom of an entire world are in store in the wonderful young adult fantasy Victor and the Sun Orb by Amy Nielsen.

My Take: I really enjoyed this book. I was curious about it when I first read the summary because I homeschool my daughter and homeschooled my two older children all the way through school. Beside a few spots where the author made Matthew a little naive ( seemed that he was that way because of his being homeschooled, Most homeschooled children that I know are more away of the entire world than the average child their age) I thought that the author portrayed a homeschooled child very well. I was touched my how willing that Matthew was to watch after Dinah and how he tried to come up with solutions to her problems. They made a fine team. I was disappointed that he felt he needed to hide Dinah from his parents because I am sure that something could have been worked out that she wouldn't of had to go into child welfare. Over all I thought this was a very enjoyable books and I am going to give it to my daughter to read next.

"Golden's Rule" by author C.E. Edmonson centers around fourteen-year-old Maddie Bergamo who seems to have it all— looks, brains, mad moves on the basketball court, a cute crush, and true friends. Her life right on track to make her eventual goals of the Olympics and a sports scholarship to her Ivy League dream school. But then life topples her neatly stacked plans, and Maddie finds herself in a fight for survival. As events spiral out of her control, Maddie receives an unexpected gift: an ancestor’s extraordinary diary of life as a slave girl. And what Maddie discovers within those pages changes her world forever.

I received this book from the author through Reviewthebook.com. See disclamer. Tanisha Carlson is a typical 14 year old girl. Well really not so typical as she is in Honors classes in middle school and is a good athelete. Tanisha lives with her mother and three brothers in a suburb of Chicago but not in one of the fancier parts of town. She is very much aware of her position in life and is constantly trying to make herself seem to have more than she actually does. Tanisha seems to have a good relationship with her brothers (as much as a teenage girl can have with brothers) as there seem to be an us against them mentality fo the children against the mom. Tanisha even goes as far as calling her mother by her first name behind her back. Tanisha has a secret at the beginning of the book that she doesn't want her friends to find out about. This situation is later resolved in the book and her friends don't find out. Her mother also is hiding a secret that she doesn't want anyone especially Tanisha to find out about but seems to come to a good conclusion later in the story. Tanisha and her friends are constantly worried about what others are thinking of them, what the boys are thinking of them, how their clothes makes them look. While I read this it made me remember those days in middle shcool and high school when I thought I would die because I didn't have the right clothes or I wasn't wearing the right makeup or that I wasn't popluar enough. I thought that the author captures the whole teenage angst thing very well. I read this book with the intention of handing it over to my 14 year old daughter to read . There is some mild language and some mild sexual innuendo so I will discuss that with her before I let her read it but I am sure that she will enjoy it. Tanisha does tell quite a few white lies and I will discuss that with my daughter as well.

Nate looses his parents and brother and must move in with his aunt and uncle. However, that is when the adventure starts. And for this 14 year old, it doesn't involve abuse guardians like so many others seen recently.

Two young men find themselves connected in more ways then they would like. They have to deal with race issues and with family issues in unusual ways.

The Moon Country and Shadow Country have been at war for over thirty years. "Forever" by author Running River is a story about a girl from the Shadow's allies who captures a Moon general's heart. Will this love last or will the war destroy it?

On their first day in Egypt, cousins Adam and Justin, twelve and fourteen years old, are given an Egyptian scarab by a scruffy peddler. When Dr. Khalid, director of the Egyptian Museum, shows a particular andmenacing interest in the scarab, the boys realize they are in danger. Wishing to learn more about the scarab's past, they embark on a journey down the Nile and across the harsh desert to search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. "The Secret of the Sacred Scarab" is the kind of adventure book boys and girls love! The fast-paced action, the evil villain readers delight in hating, the secrets of the past, and the mysterious ancient setting make this novel a sure-hit favorite for all the young and adventurous at heart. Fiona Ingram's impeccable and fascinating research into Egyptian history illuminates the adventure and makes the secrets of Egypt's past as thrilling to the reader as the boys' dangerous encounters.

Battling the Unknown: The Last Rawl Trilogy BY: Meg Christian PUBLISHED BY: Infivity Publishing.com PUBLISHED IN: 2008 ISBN: 0-7414-4793-2 Pages: 146 Ages: Teen & Up Reviewed by Billy Burgess In book one of the trilogy, the young author Meg Christian has created the fantasy world of Umberodia. In this land is a sixteen year old Katrina Rawl. Her mother passed away when she was very young. Since then, she has lived with her aunt. Katrina spends her days selling vegetables on the side of the road. She likes to read books which is something that is forbidden by the Emperor. Katrina stumbles upon a letter written by her mother. In the letter is a message that she is suppose to give to Amile the Warrior. Soon after, the Emperor sends out his army to do a routine house by house search. The army reports back to the Emperor telling him of a young girl named Katrina Rawl. The Emperor knows this must be the only daughter of Marianne Rawl. He orders his army to retrieve the girl. When the army arrives the next night, Katrina slips out of the house and escapes. She heads to Ioni where she hopes to find the Amile the Warrior. On the way she finds may other dangers. She also meets a skittish bird named Twitter and a young man named Arlon who help her on the journey. This is an adorable tale set in an original world of Umberodia. Meg Christian’s love of adventure and storytelling is shown in Battling the Unknown: The Last Rawl Trilogy. The young author is donating all of the profits to the Southern New Hampshire Rescue Mission. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good quest and wonderful characters.

First Night BY: Tom Weston PUBLISHED BY: tom weston media PUBLISHED IN: 2008 ISBN: 978-0-981-94130-1 Pages: 253 Ages: Teen & Up Reviewed by Billy Burgess Author Tom Weston brings us an old fashioned ghost tale in First Night. The story begins with Sarah Pemberton who has caught the small pox. A family friend, Captain John Ayres, gives her an ivory bracelet to wear. Sarah dies. The story skips to the present day. Alexandra O’Rourke and her younger sister, Jackie, are spending their New Year’s Eve with their aunt and uncle in Boston. They’re California girls and rather be home partying than spending their vacation in Boston. Their aunt and uncle let them go out on their own and explore Boston. They come across a teenager wearing a 1600’s dress. Her name is Sarah Pemberton. The same Sarah who died many years ago of small pox. The Court of Spirits have accused her of being a witch and release her into our world to find a lawyer. Alexandra and Jackie think nothing of it because they’re in the historical part of Boston. They change their minds when Sarah runs through Alex. With time running out, Sarah takes Jackie back to the Court of Spirits to help defend her soul. Alexandra stays behind and searches for the Devil’s Book. Tom Weston has written a fun, original novel while blending in some historical facts and locations about Boston. Alexandra and Jackie are believable teenage characters with cleverly written dialogue. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good ghost story.