The Dreamer

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan. Illustrated by Peter Sis. Published 2010 by Scholastic.

Again, I'm behind the times with this read but it's been on my list for a while. I've always been attracted to the starry silhouette gracing the cover over the field of silvery blues and greens. Over the years of hearing about this book, I was surprised I didn't know the identity of Neftali until the end. This was a nice surprise for me and for that reason I will not reveal whom this book is really about. I think it gives the title more poignancy knowing that it was based on a true story though.

In this magical realism read, a young, weak boy with a stutter spends his time day dreaming and collecting treasures from the world against his father's wishes. He is constantly in fear of the bulking presence of his father and the choices he makes that are contradictory to his father's wishes. Through the calming presences and love of his grandmother and siblings, Neftali finally makes choices that are best for him though it takes growth over the whole novel for him to be able to do this. Interspersed with poetry and pointillist illustrations, this is a gem of a little biographical novel.

Intended reading level: Grades 4-8
Genre: Magical realism, historical fiction

Questions to the Reader: How did Neftali come to the decision to change his name? Why do you believe the sheep was so important to him? Why did Neftali have his sister give Blanca the stone?

Read-alikes: Summer of the Mariposas, My Name is Not Easy

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A Game for Swallows

A Game for Swallows: To die, to leave, to return by Zeina Abirached. Published 2012 by Graphic Universe.

This book has been compared to Persepolis and it is very similar having to do with war in the Middle East and in black and white graphic novel form. Where Persepolis takes place over years as one girl grows up amidst war in Iran, this novel takes place over the course of a night with subsequent flashbacks for different characters. This book explores the war in Lebanon in the 80s and how one apartment complex takes refuge in the foyer of one family's apartment sharing in their fears, hopes and anxieties.
The drawings are very rounded and seemingly simple creating a cartoon like feel but the claustrophobic crowding of the panels creates the feel of the apartment as more and more people come in for comfort and refuge. The speak bubble literally create the tension in the air as they wait to hear from the children's parents who have been missing for hours.
I think this book is a great history lesson and companion to other books on the subject of war in the Middle East or war in general.

Intended reading level: Grades 7+
Genre: Non-fiction, Graphic Novel, Memoir, War

Questions to the Reader: Would you want to stay in your family home and city or would you want to leave under similar circumstances? Why or why not? Why do you think all the neighbors gathered into the one home?

Read-alikes: Persepolis 1 and 2, Maus I and II

Freakling

Freakling by Lana Krumwiede. Published 2012 by Candlewick Press.

Apparently my to-read stack is two years behind publishing dates. I don't know how other librarians have time to read everything as it comes in and before it hits the shelves; I wish I could be one of them but I guess I will always lag behind.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It is another dystopian/sci-fi title where an alternate version of the earth in some unknown future date (or  past however you want to look at it) has a colony of people living on another side of a mountain that separates them from the Republik. This is not the most important part. The important part is that the reason they are separated is that they are people who all have the ability to wield psi--to be able to use their minds to do everyday tasks such as feed themselves, put on their clothes, drive psi vehicles, etc. Some people have more power and control of their psi and some don't have any at all. If you do not have psi you are sent to a town outside the city where you have to actually work as regular humans do, using zippers and forks and everything else hand related.

While this ploy seems highly improbable and absurd, the tale itself is action packed and interesting. The story focuses more on what power means and how one wields their powers in either a benign or malicious fashion. It also speaks to whether or not the powers we have should be used at all.

Intended reading level: Grades 4-7
Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopian

Question to the readers: What would you have chosen if you were Taemon? Do you think Taemon made the right choice? Why or why not? Would you want to be the True Son? What would you do if you had psi?

Read-alikes: The Giver by Lois Lowry, Matched by Ally Condie

The Year of Billy Miller

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes. Published 2013 by Greenwillow Books.

This beginning chapter book was a real treat. Told in four parts framed by each member of Billy's family, Henke gives us a glimpse into Billy Miller's life through Billy's eyes that is neither contrived nor saccharine. We believe Billy's school worries and feel his frustration with his younger sister. We see how he navigates real issues within his family such as his father's artistic drive and wanting to feel like more of a grown boy. The language is simple, the illustrations are sparse yet complimentary and the length works well for this age group and reading level.

Interest level: Grades 1-3
Genre: School fiction, realistic fiction

Question to the Readers: When Billy thinks that Ms. Silver has caught him making fun of her chopsticks, he feels retched and makes amends by presenting her with gifts? What was a time that you felt really bad about something you said or did? What did you do to make up for it?

Read-alikes: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos, The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt (slightly older audience)

The Amulet of Samarkand

Bartimaeus Trilogy: The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud. Published 2003 by Miramax

Book.

While I was traveling over the summer I met a young man from Brazil that shared with me that the Bartimaeus Trilogy had been one of his all-time favorite books as a child. The covers had always attracted my attention in our stacks so I assumed it was about time for me to explore this title. What's interesting about this series is that you are not quite sure who to sympathize with at first.
To begin with, the story opens from the perspective of a demon, or djinni, who tells you himself that he is not to be trusted and will exact revenge on whomever awakes him to his/her call. You begin to think that the small, sweaty boy who is summoning him is the protagonist but he begins to show signs of excessive pride and vengeance, he's not at all a likeable character....but neither is anyone else. You soon realize that these are our protagonists by the sheer fact that everyone else is much, much worse.
Now this is not to say that I didn't enjoy the story.
The language is rich and descriptive. The world is built well and the properties of how magic works in this world intrigue me. There is a lot of fast-paced action and high stakes for the characters. The characters have growth and there is humor in the way Bartimaeus relates the story. It's just that our narrator is a bit untrustworthy and we really have to work to decide how we feel about these characters and their actions. Which is not a problem! Why shouldn't we have to work a little as a reader? Why not keep us on our reading toes? Overall, I was pleased with this tale and look forward to reading the others in the series.

Intended audience: Grades 5-8
Genre: Fantasy

Question to the Readers: Do you think that summoning a demon is worth the effort? Why or why not?

Read-alikes: Artemis Fowl series,  Alchemyst series

The Last Dragonslayer

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde. Published by Harcourt 2012.

Have you grown up on Harry Potter and wondered what happened to witches and wizards once they enter the working world? Perhaps you're ready for another wizard apprentice book but you want something a bit more cheeky full of strange monsters that eat tuna cans whole for breakfast. Maybe you've always wondered what happened to dragons and what you would do if you came across the last dragon in the world and you were placed in the position to slay it based on a prophecy. If all this is true, then you should be reading The Last Dragonslayer. Perhaps it's been prophesied that this is the exact book you are meant to read and you are meant to start it today.

This book follows Jennifer Strange as she runs one of the failing wizard businesses left in a world of dwindling magic. Her current tasks would be hard enough but she soon finds out that she is the last dragonslayer and she is meant to kill Maltcassion, the last dragon, on Sunday at noon. While the position brings fame and money, she is wrought with worry over whether her prophesy is meant to be followed or if she should trust her instincts and leave a dragon in this world.

Interest level: Grades 5-8
Genre: fantasy, humor
First in a series

Question to Readers: How would you feel if you were placed in Jennifer's shoes? Who would you or wouldn't you have helped? Why? What form do you think Big Magic will take in the world once it's released.

Read-alike: The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making, Harry Potter, Bartimaeus Trilogy

Far Far Away

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal. Published 2013 by Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Fairy tales give us warnings, they tuck us into bed at night and reassure us that good prevails. Fairy tales are also old, dark and spooky. Fairy tales have a power all their own. What happens when the real world twists and turns like the creepy corners of a dark tale. This novel by Tom McNeal explores this concept. The ghost of Jacob Grimm narrates the tale of his friendship with a boy who can hear the voice of ghosts in a small American town. The rich language of Jacob Grimm moves the reader through the tale, but it's the mystery of the missing children and the strange bakery that delivers Prince Cakes after a green smoke emits from its chimney that keeps us wondering what will happen in this tale.

A mystery, romance, dark fairy tale and more. The beautiful narration and the fully imagined characters make a novel that is complete and satisfying from start to finish.

Interest level: Grades 6-8
Genre: Mystery, Horror

Questions to Readers: Would you want to have the same talent as Jeremy? Why or why not? What would you have done if you were on the TV show and in Jeremy's shoes?

Read-alikes: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, Wildwood by Colin Meloy

Boy Meets Boy

Boy Meets Boy by David Leviathan. Published 2005 by Alfred A. Knopf.

This is a sweet tale of budding high school romance but not with your usual cast of boy meets girl. As the title tells us, this is boy meets boy. How do you deal with a romance that is new? How do you learn to trust each other? How do you let go of a hurt past? These are all questions similar to anyone no matter what type of relationship you're in. This book, while realistic fiction, also seems to live in the author's version of the perfect world. I know I can't wait till a time when drag queens will also be respected football quarterbacks.

If you're looking for a tale of romance with friends helping out other friends, go not further than this title. Butterflies in the stomach, breakups, heartache, winning the love of the guy...it's all here.

Interest level: Grades 6-8
Genre: Romance, Realistic Fiction, LGBT

Question to the Readers: Have you ever been hurt in the past and not wanted to trust your friends or loved ones? How do you choose to trust again? Describe the feelings of having a crush.

Read-alikes: The Summer I Learned to Fly by Reinhardt, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Bad Unicorn

Bad Unicorn by Platte F. Clark. Published 2013 by Aladdin.

Unicorns are not all sparkles and kindness. They do not prance and they do not grant magical wishes. If this book is to be believed, unicorns are ferocious magical beings with an appetite for human flesh who wish destruction upon all the world. They enjoy a good frobbit meal here and there as well.

Max is your regular underdog at school with one friend who he enjoys playing fantasy-based games with, until he discovers that the book he's been reading from has magical powers and only he can control it. Max and his friends find themselves whisked away to the future where machines control the world and not a single human is left thanks to one bad unicorn.

Wow! How can all this fit into one novel? Time travel, magic, unicorns, machines, reality television, did I mention unicorns? But if you're looking for a clever twist on a magical tale, something with a little humor as well as action, give Bad Unicorn a try. The book has a natural ending but also sets itself up for a series.

Interest level: Grades 3-6
Genre: fantasy, humor

Question to the Readers: What choice would you have made if you were in Max's shoes: try to make it back to the past or face Robo-Princess? What do you think will happen in the next book? Did Robo-Princess deserve her fate? Why or why not?

Read-alikes: Cold Cereal and The True Meaning of Smek Day both by Adam Rex

The Grand Plan to Fix Everything

The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami. Published 2011 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

In this book, Dini finds out that her family will be moving to a secluded mountain town in India for the next two years. The only thing that can get her through the drama of leaving behind her best friend Maddie is the idea that she may meet her favorite Bollywood movie star, Dolly Singh. While Dini is not adjusting well to her Indian life, a trail of coincidental events line up like  Hindi movie plot points to make sure that all the strange events come together in a wonderful, magical way.

This book reminded me of a Bollywood movie. At some points it was over the top and melodramatic while at other moments it was calm while humorous. The present tense narration bothered me, but for others it could sound like reading one long poem. The illustrations have a sweetness that matches the text and for those wanting a glimpse into Indian life and movie stars will enjoy this read immensely.

Intended reading level: Grades 2-4
Genre: Friendship, Realistic Fiction
First in series.

Questions to the Readers: What would you do if you could meet your favorite movie star? How would you feel if you had to move half way around the world from your best friend? Have you ever traveled anywhere that was very different from how you lived at home? What was different or the same?

Read-alikes: The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Ender's Game

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Tom Doherty Associates. Published 1977.

This was my first time reading this book and it just so happens that the movie is around the corner. I found myself imagining a movie the whole time I was reading it, so I'm happy I won't have to wait long. I got into a big discussion with some other teachers about the author's personal opinions and whether or not we should let that shape our opinion of the book. Apparently their is an uproar happening over the movie releasing based on Card's views about homosexuality. It saddened me to know this about him, while at the same time, I really enjoyed the story and there was absolutely no derogatory statements made in the book as far as I could tell. Should we judge a book by the author's personal viewpoints? Is a book ever inherently separated from the author that created it? By supporting the book, are we supporting the author? I'd like to believe that a book, especially a Sci-fi classic such as this one, can be separated from the author in that it lives alone as a piece of art, taking on and creating it's own life separate from their own. Almost like a child from a parent. That being said, I'm not happy supporting him either.

Well...the book has a similar structure to the Harry Potter type of hero journey, where a young child is thrust into a position of great importance to complete a mission that is too powerful for him. The child must go off to school to hone the skills he needs to complete the mission but the stress of what is required of him begins to become a burden he can't handle any longer. Being that this book is sci-fi and not fantasy, we are also dealing with the idea of The Other and how we would handle coming across other intelligent life forms in the universe and what our actions say about our own humanity. Very compelling stuff. I kind of wish Card would read his own writing.

Interest level: Grades 5-8
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Space

Questions to Readers: Do you think the ending would have changed if Ender had known the plan of the adults? Do you think the adults made the right choice? How does Ender change over the course of the novel? Do you think this was a change for the better?

Read-alikes: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Ready Player One

Cold Cereal

Cold Cereal by Adam Rex. Balzer and Bray. Published 2012.

With the sequel of Cold Cereal having been released recently, I decided it was finally time to read the first one. I loved The True Meaning of Smek Day and have always appreciated Rex's illustrations- a balance between Saturday morning cartoon and realism, so I was looking forward to this title. The book did not disappoint. While I liked Smek Day better, the satire mixed with adventure and mystery in this book hit all the right spots a reader of this genre would enjoy.

With a man-sized bunny, evil cereal corporations, magical power reserves and leprechauns, what genre is this book? It is a mystery, a fantasy, a funny story, an adventure and a story about families. It's also a series like many books for children are these days.

Scott and his family move to a new town completely owned and controlled by the Good Cereal company. He starts having what he thinks are strange hallucinations that he doesn't want to investigate until he's pulled into a mystery by two genius twins that he befriends. I don't want to reveal more, but if you like books with geniuses and a strange puzzle to unravel, give this one a try.

Interest level: Grades 3-6
Genre: Mystery, fantasy, humor, adventure

Questions to the Readers: What actions would you take if you started to see strange, magical creatures? Would you rather be yourself or have the ability to drink the smart juice? Where do you think the line of scientific experimentation should be drawn?

Read-alikes: The Mysterious Benedict Society, Genius Files, Chasing Vermeer and other Blue Balliett mysteries

Every Soul a Star

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass. Little, Brown and Company. Published 2008.

This book was another California Young Reader nominee from a few years back. This is meant for the older elementary, early middle school level as it is told from alternating perspectives from middle school students. Two girls and one boy converge at a camp in the middle of nowhere for the Full Eclipse happening an a few weeks. Each is there for different reasons and almost all of them are completely upset about what has been foisted upon them by their parents. Their mutual annoyance ties them together initially but soon they have a larger goal when they are given the chance to take part in a world-wide scientific observation. The choices they make and the actions they take are bound to change them and along the way they may get the experience the awesome power of a full solar eclipse.

I appreciated being able to see the story from the multiple perspectives and watch as each character was able to grow and change. One character I expected more growth from but I think it is more realistic of her character and age that she didn't completely change over the course of the novel. I would love to have an epilogue or short novella of their time back at the camp a year after the story ended to see where their lives take them after they depart from the camp.

Interest level: Grades 5-8
Genre: Realistic fiction, Friendship

Questions to the Readers: Where would you rather live- a big city or the MoonShadow camp, why? What character do you most see yourself in? How did this character change over the course of the novel?

Read-alikes: Criss Cross by Lynn Rae Perkins, The Center of Everything by Linda Urban

Ruby Lu, Brave and True

Ruby Lu, Brave and True by Lenore Look. Atheneum. Published 2004.

This chapter book has the same humor and warmth as Look's Alvin Ho series but with a precocious female character. She loves to do magic, she's protective of her baby brother and she loves her family even when they force her to go to Saturday Chinese school. This book feels more like a series of events, or vignettes, tied together rather than one solid arch of a story line. Young readers will appreciate completing these smaller story lines within the larger whole. Plus Ruby's antics will keep them intrigued.

Interest level: Grades 1-3
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Humor

Questions to the Readers: Why did Ruby finally accept her brother as her assistant? How would you feel if a foreign cousin came to live with you and share your room?

Read-alikes: Alvin Ho series also by Lenore Look, Clementine series, Judy Moody series

The Giant-Slayer

The Giant-Slayer by Iain Lawrence. Yearling. Published 2009.

This book was nominated for the California Young Reader Medal last year. It did not win, but I thought it was a fantastic book. In this story, a young girl lives in the midst of the polio scare of the 1950s. She is warned to stay out of water and not to play with other children. But when her best friend catches polio after they both play in a creek, Laurie feels so bad that she breaks her father's rules and goes to visit Dickie in the iron lung wing of the polio ward. Laurie finds that the only gift she can bring the three children in iron lungs is the gift of story and begins to tell the tale of Jimmy the Giant Slayer. Sooner than later, the children begin to find that her story mirrors things in real life that she couldn't possibly know and when things turn to the worst, each child must take up part of the telling.

The writing in this novel is so descriptive. I felt like I was in the middle of the story whether it was in the hospital or in the fantasy world of Laurie's telling. Each character was varied and had their own motivations and worries. I highly recommend this read.

Intended reading level: Grades 5-8
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Question to the Readers: How would you feel if you ended up in bed sick for longer than a week? What would you do if you couldn't move any of your limbs? How would you have ended the story of Jimmy and Colosso?

Read-alikes: Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Peg Kehret (non-fiction)

Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Alfred A. Knopf. Published 2012.

This book was much talked about last year and for good reason. It is not the usual coming-of-age novel where a student starts his first day of school at a new school dealing with bullies and pressing middle school matters. That stuff is there, but this character is very different than any characters before. August, or Auggie, has a rare genetic disorder that has made his face look like that of a B-Movie monster. He has been home schooled his whole life due to continued illness, but his parents have decided that it is time for him to go to a real school at the start of middle school. This time period would be hard enough for anyone, but it is especially hard for Auggie as he has to deal with the reactions of all the students around him while trying to decide who he is as a person as well.

The author uses multiple perspectives to tell this story. This opens up the book to see the reactions of everyone around Auggie and letting us understand how they really feel and how actions and thoughts can actually be two different things. This was a great story for learning about being in the shoes of other people and how to accept people for who they are and not how they look.

Intended reading level: Grades 4-8
Genre: Realistic Fiction, School fiction

Questions to the Readers: Have you ever felt like an outsider? If so, how did that make you feel? In what ways has Auggie always stayed true to himself? How has he changed over the course of the novel?

Read-alikes: The Misfits by James Howe, The Giant-Slayer by Iain Lawrence

The Tiger Rising

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo. Candlewick Press. Published 2001.

As with many of DiCamillo's books, this story is about children coping with major turmoil in their life and finding friendship and peace over the course of the novel. Because of this, there is the sweet melancholy that is present in her others books as well. And like the mouse, elephant and dog that have precedence elsewhere, this novel has a tiger taking main stage.
The premise is that a boy working with his father at a hotel in the South finds a tiger locked in a cage in the woods. After befriending the new girl in town, whether he wanted to or not, he shares the tiger that he's found and her reaction changes the course of their lives.

Intended reading level: Grades 3-5
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Question to the Readers: If you found a tiger in your backyard, what would you do about it? Do you think Rob made the right choice? Why or why not?

Read-alikes: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Being Henry David

Being Henry David by Cal Armistead. Albert Whitman and Co. NetGalley.

For survival stories/mysteries with a little bit of romance and amnesia, this book fits the bill. But how many bills request all those things. I felt this book had a bit of multiple personality disorder, wanting to cover all it's bases and I wonder if this would put some readers off who are expecting one genre and then getting another. That being said, the pace moves relatively quickly (more so in the beginning than the middle to end) and it has a male lead character and an amnesia mystery story line that will keep mystery seekers interested.

Because the story opens on a boy who doesn't know who he is or where he is, be takes on the identity of the first thing that comes to him, the author of the book that a homeless man has taken off him and begun to eat. He become Henry David and decides to travel to Walden Pond as he finds this to be the only clue of finding his true identity. Without money or identity, Hank takes up with two homeless kids and gets himself into trouble. This is how the book opens and it feels very fast-paced, action survival story. But Hank quickly escapes this scene and ends up at Walden Pond where he must still struggle to survive but is helped by a number of people and goaded to stay by his crush on a girl that he runs into. This is where the story drags a bit for me. With the intense survival opening, I wonder if most readers will still around for the quieter paced average high school plot line in the middle. The amnesia story line picks up at the end and it gets to be a bit melodramatic but at least the mystery is solved. While the connection to Henry David Thoreau frames the story, it also doesn't seem to have much of a connection to the larger themes of loss, guilt and grief.

Interest level: YA (grade 6+)

Question to the readers: Faced with Henry David's situation, what would you have done in the beginning of the book? Why do you think Henry David came down with amnesia?

Read-alikes: Hatchet, North

Tib and Tumtum: Welcome to the Tribe

Tib and Tumtum: Welcome to the Tribe by Grimaldi and Bannister. NetGalley. Graphic Universe.

This graphic novel for early elementary students was a gem. The cartoon drawings with the over-sized heads and simplistic features works well for this age level and the makes the reader feel open to the tale of a prehistoric boy and the dinosaur that he finds. Because of the nature of the story I was reminded of Calvin and Hobbes. We have a young boy with a ferocious beast as his best friend yet the beast does him, nor anyone else, any harm. The book itself, while it tells a tale in compilation, seems to be a series of separate comics with a punch line at the end of each page. While Calvin and Hobbes is meant for older readers, often addressing content that is designed for mature readers, Tib and Tumtum is meant for the kids it is geared for. The humor is spot on and I believe kids will eat it up with its dinosaur theme and the feelings of isolation and being bullied the main character Tib deals with.

The story is that a young caveboy is often ostracized for the large birthmark on his face. The other children taunt him and don't accept him into their group. Tib comes across a dinosaur who he discovers won't hurt him, yet no one believes he's found a dinosaur as they are believed to be extinct already. Telling tall tales runs in the family so everyone believes Tib is making it up. Because of this, the dinosaur is seen as Tib's imaginary friend. The rest of the story is Tib trying to convince those around him that there is a dinosaur and the consequences in having a dino friend as part of the tribe.

Interest level- Grades 1-3
First in series.

Question to the readers: What animal would you want to discover and keep as your personal friend? Do you think that kids will accept Tib into their group once they discover Tumtum?

Read-alikes: Calvin and Hobbes, Zita the Spacegirl

Wish

Wish by Beth Bracken and Kay Fraser. Published by Capstone Young Readers. NetGalley.

I don't know how I feel about this title. The writing fit the age group and I can foresee this being a good transition novel for the girls who are growing out of Fairy Realm but aren't quite old enough for Twilight. This is exactly the publishers and authors intention in this title as well. But this is an odd sweet spot. The older readers won't want to feel like they're reading a book for young kids and the young kids won't read it if it seem too dark or makes them feel uncomfortable. On that end, I think its a better read for the younger kids. It's the pictures that throw me off more than anything. While they are ethereal and dark in the right ways for a book about evil faeries, I feel there are too many of them and they are almost too realistic or dark at parts for the younger readers. What I would love to do is test this title out with some of my third and fourth graders? For the writing itself, I thought it overused flashback or retrospection and didn't stay in the action long enough or expand moments where it could have. Again, I think this was because of the strive to hit a certain reading level. On the other hand, it was very poetic and carried a sadness to it that lent itself well to the themes and the strange magical world.

In this story, two girls are best friends but over a confrontation with a boy, Soli accidentally wishes Lucy away to the faerieground where she is held prisoner by Queen Calandra. Only Soli can enter this world to try to bring Lucy back and discover mysteries about both girls' lives while she's at it.

Questions to Readers: Has a friend ever done anything to you that made you just want to wish them away? What lines should friends never cross?

Read-alikes: the Emily Windsnap books.