The One and Only Ivan by Catherine Applegate

Ivan sits in his glassed cage at the Big Top Mall where most of the day he watches TV or creates works of art which customers can purchase in the mall store. A silver back gorilla who was ripped from his home in Africa with his twin sister by poachers, Ivan remembers little of his past. He is intrigued by a little girl, Julia, who draws and does homework while waiting for her custodian father at the mall. He is close to Stella, an old elephant, who after years of abuse, passes away.

A young gorilla, Ruby, is brought in to replace Stella. Ruby is unhappy, longing for the freedom of the wild. Ivan makes a promise to Ruby; to get her her freedom...

I need to be up front here. I don't like animal novels that are told from the POV of the animal. For me, it seems very contrived to hear the thoughts of an animal in the first person. I felt the same way with Michael Morpugo's War Horse. Not that they are both well written, well received books, they are just not my cup of tea. If you enjoy a warmly told tale with a lot of heart, then The One and Only Ivan is a read you might want to pick up. For me, classic stories about animals, such as Wilson's Where the Red Fern Grows, grab my heart and soul. I scored Ivan a bit higher because of my own personal bias.
Reed Reads Score: 3 

Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan

An affinity for plants, the ability to diagnose any disease or illness, and an obsessive compulsive love of the number 7, constitutes most of Willow's day. Willow is not your average 12 year old. She has no friends, no social life. About to start middle school, Willow's parents decide to send her to a new school for a fresh start. When she gets a perfect score on a standardized test, she is accused of cheating and is sent to Dell, a district therapist. While Dell recognizes Willow's genius, he is unprofessional and inept, which Willow sees right through. At her therapy sessions she meets Young Quo, a troubled teen who must be accompanied by his younger sister, Hallie, to be sure he makes it to his sessions with Dell. Willow strikes a friendship with Hallie which makes her feel special as Hallie is a high school student. When Dell decides to take them for ice cream, and a ride home, the police are at Willow's house. Willow's parents have been killed in a tragic automobile accident. Young and Hallie immidately contact their mother to convince her to temporarily take in Willow so she can avoid foster care. The heartwarming story that follows tells of Willow's coping with loss and grief, dealing with her difficulty of letting people in, and of how the people around her find hope and direction from the intuition, and honesty that is all Willow.

This is one of those reads that stays with you long after the last word. If you are a teacher, or work with children, you know Willow. Gifted, autistic savant, whatever label the institution puts upon them, these kids are often ignored, and brushed aside by their peers as being "weird." In reality, they are complex people, who if you take the time to make a connection with them, can make a difference for both of you.

Reed Reads Score: 4.5

The Riverman by Aaron Starmer

Alistair is almost thirteen. He is a bit nerdy, not many friends, growing up in a small town in upstate New York. A rather strange neighbor, Fiona Loomis, knocks on Alistair's door. They haven't played together for years, and he hardly knows her anymore, but still, Fiona has chosen Alistair to write her biography,  trusting him with her secrets. Fiona's story is so unbelievable, so fantastic, that Alistair believes that it must be a fantasy that Fiona has created to reflect some horrible events in her life. As her story unfolds, Alistair is drawn into it, but can't quite believe it. His concern for her creates a conflict too great for him to deal with...does he seek the help he believes she needs, but then betray her trust?

The story unfolds slowly and beautifully, the reader never sure of where it is going. When I reviewed Aaron Starmer's The Only Ones, I said it was "weird, in the most literary way." After reading his second book, I can say that Aaron is one of the most creative children's writers out there. There is nothing formula about either books. There are lots of questions and psychological layers here, most a bit sophisticated for less mature readers. The Riverman will take you to unexpected places, some a bit dark, and when you finish, you will feel like you have been taken for an incredible ride that will leave you wondering, where have I just been? 
Reed Reads Reviews: 4.5

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Grandpa Portman tells fantastic stories of unusual children, and even has pictures to prove that his stories are real. Sixteen year old Jacob had been hearing them, and believing them for years, but now that he is older he is convinced that they are all fake... convinced until he goes to visit grandpa, discovers him half dead in the woods behind his house, sees an unusual creature, and then is given a cryptic message by grandpa just before he dies. Jacob spirals into a deep depression, haunted by grandpa's message. After therapy, and family pressure, Jacob decides that he must go to a small island off the coast of England to visit the orphanage where his grandfather was placed during World War II. What follows is a haunting, fantastic adventure into a world that no one knows exists....or do they?

The refreshing thing about this book is that it is original...not another fantasy that uses Harry Potter as its template. What is not so refreshing is the writing. The writing is a bit stilted, lacking the lyrical, haunting tone that would have served this story well. The original, vintage photographs do provide some of the atmosphere missing in the writing, but it wasn't enough for me. That said, this will be popular in the library. The fantastical story of peculiar children with unusual powers will draw the reader in, as well as its exciting conclusion, that leaves enough open for a certain sequel.
Reed Reads Score: 3.5

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

It is 126 years after the fourth world war. Countries of the world have become somewhat settled, and in New Beijing (old Beijing destroyed in the war), the Eastern Commonwealth is ruled by Monarchy. People travel by hovercraft, menial work is done by androids, and humans can now have their lives extended by becoming cyborg. Sounds like a perfect setting for Cinderella. Right. Cinderella? Well...author Marissa Meyer may have used the fairy tale as a loose framework for this sci-fi adventure, but once well into the story most recognizable similarities dissipate, as the quick moving plot draws you in.

Cinder is a 16 year old cyborg, who has no memory of where she came from, and whose adoptive father has just passed away. Left with her step-mother and step-sisters, she feels out of place, as her interest is in fixing androids, or any other machine, and has no interest in trying on frilly dresses for the upcoming ball. The current monarchy is unstable as the Emperor is mortally ill with a plague for which there is no cure. Cinder is in disbelief when the Emperor's son, Prince Kai, visits her stall in the marketplace, requesting that she repair his broken android. Cinder is accompanied by her step-sister Peony on a trip to the junk yard looking for spare parts, when Peony suddenly shows symptoms of the plague, and after Cinder's call for help, is taken away by med-droids to be placed in isolation. Cinder's step-mother blames Cinder for what has happened, and as her caretaker, volunteers her for plague research, and as a guinea pig, means certain death. From here the story takes off, as her experience will reveal parts of her past, special powers she possesses, and relationships between the Monarchy and Lunars, a human sub-race that inhabits our moon.

At first, I was skeptical, but quickly became wrapped up in this science-fiction, adventure. With much foreshadowing, symbolism, and parallels to today's society, there is a lot to ponder and discuss. This is the first book of Meyer's series The Lunar Chronicles, the second book, Scarlet, due out next year.
Reed Reads Score: 4

Legend by Marie Lu

If you are a fan of dystopian novels, Legend will grab you from the beginning. While the plot becomes somewhat predictable, Marie Lu sets up a believable future dystopian Los Angeles. The United States has split  into two warring factions; the western portion, The Republic, of which Los Angeles is central, and the eastern portion, The Colonies. The book is told in two voices in alternating chapters. Day is a fifteen year old boy who is a sly criminal, wanted by the Republic. Day is smart, athletic, beyond his years, and steals to help support the poor living in his sector of the city. The second voice, June, is a fifteen year old aristocrat girl, who is a prodigy of intelligence, physical ability, and a quick rising agent for The Republic. Day is motivated by his sick younger brother Eden, who has recently contracted the plague, for whom Day is seeking the cure, usually only available to the very wealthy. June is motivated by the murder of her brother Matias, a soldier killed by a young boy trying to steal medicine to cure the plague from a Republic hospital. You get the picture....
Marie Lu does a good job in the first half developing the setting and her characters. Most of the action takes place in the second half, where there are a few unexpected plot twists. I read through this one rather quickly. It is a perfect set up for sequels, but is satisfying on its own. Of course, a movie is in the works.
Reed Reads Score: 4

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas can only remember his name. He finds himself alone in an elevator, and then greeted by a group of boys. Thomas must acclimate himself to the Glade; a community closed off by walls and inhabited by a group of 60 boys. The boys have created their own society, where each has a specific role for survival; farmer, butcher, cook. The most honored role is that of maze runner, for outside the walls lies a labyrinth which maze runners have attempted to document to figure out an escape. The problem is that the walls move. The walls surrounding the Glade close every evening to protect the 'Gladers' from the horrible beasts that lurk outside at night. Thomas makes a connection with another recent arrival, Chuck. He also has a connection with Theresa, a girl that appears in a coma, with a note revealing that things are going to change. We learn, as Thomas learns, about the boys of the Glade, how their society works, and what Thomas' real purpose is.

If you enjoyed Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, though not as strong, you will most likely enjoy The Maze Runner for its mystery, adventure, and the will to survive. There are no real answers in this first of a trilogy.
Reed Reads Score: 4

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Christopher discovers his neighbor's dog murdered. Christopher is curious. Christopher must unravel the mystery of the murder. To do so requires him to venture out of his comfortable world of numbers and logic, and into the loathsome world of people. Christopher is a fifteen year old autistic, mathematical savant, whose deep need to uncover the mystery of the dog's murder overpowers his fear of communicating with people. His search for the truth leads him to dark secrets that will change his relationship with neighbors and family. Written in the true voice of Christopher, the story takes unexpected turns, wishing you could be there to protect Christopher. Ultimately this story is about family and how the desire to protect those we love can ultimately hurt them. A perfect companion to Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork, both books about autistic youth yearning for the truth. I loved this book. For more mature readers, contains strong language.
Reed Reads Score: 5