Dragon's Keep

by Janet Lee Carey
PRMS paperback 302 pages
genre: YA fantasy, adventure

We'll discuss this at 8th grade book club. I'll have to hold my tongue, since my reaction was "Dreck. Waste of time. Stupid." Some of the kids have already been raving about how much they like this book. Hmmm. Why? I look forward to hearing. Poor character development, choppy plot, lack of any compelling storyline. Not even worthwhile romance, though Kye is a promising character. Rosie the princess just didn't cut it.

Re-Gifters

by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, & Marc Hempel
Carver County Library, paperback, 148 pages
graphic novel

I really liked this story, but wonder if it's a bit too edgy for middle school . . . Jen is a Korean girl who's very good at Hokaido (fighting). When she lets her crush on fellow fighter Adam distract her, she decides to make an extravagant gesture. But things don't turn out the way she expects. Her twin brothers provide comic relief. This is another title in the new Minx series. So far, I've really enjoyed Plain Janes & this one . . . good storytelling!