Brixton Brothers #1 -- The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett

Steve Brixton has a normal enough life. He goes to school every day, and tolerates his mom's new boyfriend Rick, and reads all the mystery books he can find. However, all this is turned upside down when, while working on a boring school assignment about early American needlework, Steve finds himself suddenly caught up in a dangerous mystery centered around, of all things, a library book. Chased by rogue librarians, and forced to hide out in his own hometown, Steve does everything in his power to solve his first case, and escape alive!

It helps that Steve loves mysteries and mystery stories. His favorite books are the Bailey Brothers mysteries, and his fail-safe, go-to guide to navigating the strange circumstances he finds himself mired in is the Bailey Brothers' Detective Handbook. With his best friend Dana by his side, Steve knows that whatever the dangers and whatever the challenges he is equal to the task...right?

This book (and the others in this series) are funny, fast-paced, and full of quick witted banter and oddball humor. Steve is an unabashed mystery nut, and Dana is as indulgent of his flights of fancy as a friend can be. This book series is an excellent pick if you are looking for a little adventure and a lot of fun.

Note: The fictional Baily Brothers books mentioned in this series are based on the real life book series The Hardy Boys. If you have not read the Hardy Boys, now is the time. They are a fantastic set of thrill-a-minute adventures.The Hardy Boys books are available here in the fiction section under J/DIX.

Endangered by Eliot Schrefer

Fourteen-year old Sophie isn't excited about spending the summer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Having lived there as a little girl, she knows all-too-well about the dangers and instability facing the war-torn country.

But the DRC is where her mother lives, rescuing bonobos - a type of great ape found only in the DRC - for release into the wild.  In fact, Sophie's family split up because Sophie's mother was more committed to the bonobos than she was to her marriage.

When Sophie encounters an illegal trader selling an injured, orphaned bonobo, she purchases him and names him Otto.  As her mother explains, buying animals in that manner only encourages the illegal hunting and selling of bonobos.

Nonetheless, Otto becomes Sophie's responsibility, and it's the first time another creature has been totally dependent on her.  When her mother's sanctuary is attacked by rebel soldiers, Sophie's responsibility to Otto becomes even more pronounced: in order to safely leave under UN protection, Sophie would have to abandon Otto.  Unable to bring herself to do that, Sophie escapes with Otto into the African jungle, in hopes of finding her mother (who was not at the sanctuary when the attack occurred).

What happens next is a series of harrowing adventures as Sophie and Otto struggle to survive amidst horrors natural and man-made: they have to find food and water, they must deal with leeches, and of course they encounter poverty, chaos, fear, and violence as the war rages on all around them.

Endangered is a gripping novel that will appeal to animal lovers and fans of adventure.  The touching and beautiful story of Sophie and Otto's relationship is juxtaposed with stark scenes  of human and animal suffering that can be a little difficult to get through.  But ultimately, this is remarkable book about learning to care about the world beyond our own concerns.  There is a lot of information in the narrative about conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the lives and uncertain future of the bonobos.  In fact, one thing that really enhanced the book was the Author's Notes and interview with the author at the back of the book.  Eliot Schrefer was inspired to write Endangered after paying a visit to a real bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo!

A gripping, moving, and exciting read.  Grades 6 and up.

Lockwood and Company: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathon Stroud

The London setting in this book is a sort of present-day London, but unlike present-day London it is plagued by a huge number of ghosts, spirits and specters - all unfriendly.  Though these ghosts can cause a great deal of harm (both property-wise and bodily) they can only been detected or challenged by young people.  Because of this, young people with “physic abilities” are employed by Physic Detection Agencies, usually run by adults with kids doing the work.  But this is not so with Lockwood & Company.  Anthony Lockwood runs a small independent agency with only two other colleagues: the clever, but sometimes offensive George; and Lucy, new to the agency.  After having a less-than-successful experience on a new job, the Company receives an interesting and potentially fatal offer to investigate an infamous haunted estate.  The offer is almost too good to be true and suspiciously hints at ties to the previous botched case.


Will Lockwood and Company survive to continue their independent agency?
Will they survive at all?

Did I mention that ghosts are fought off by swords?

This is the beginning of a series.  The characters are intriguing and still need to be fully developed, but it’s a promising start.  This is almost like a kid centered Ghostbusters, with kid-centered humor intact.  The story gets a little spooky, but not too much.  I’m looking forward to the next one.

Swords: An Artist's Devotion by Ben Boos

This book is a globetrotting look at the history and artistry of swords. Ben Boos' meticulous illustrations and sparse prose provide an effective introduction to the subject matter. From the finely wrought swords of kings, to the simple knives of farmers, to the stealth-daggers of ninjas, this book gives life to the blades of ancient warriors.

The detailed illustrations are accompanied by succinct descriptions of what the different sword designs are meant to accomplish. The training and use of swords is also discussed. The number of different sword users is extensive, including even a group called the landsknechts, mercenaries of the 14-1600s. Who knew?!

The illustrations live up to the title – swords are clearly Ben Boos' devotion. The many designs he depicts are all referenced to different historical descriptions of blades, and his prose, while not extensive, is informative.

Ben Boos also wrote another book, Fantasy: An Artist's Realm, which can be found in our collection at 398.45J. Swords is also in the non fiction section, call number 623.441J.