New fiction books for April 2009

The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower


Bernetta Wallflower is having the worst summer on record. After her ex-best friend, Ashley, frames her for running a school-wide cheating ring, Bernetta can't convince anyone that she's innocent. Her parents ground her until her tonsils grow back, and she's not even allowed to go to her father's magic club, Trunk Number Eight, where she performs every Saturday as a magician's assistant. But what's most terrible of all is that Mount Olive, the private school Bernetta has attended since kindergarten, has decided to take away her scholarship for seventh grade. If Bernetta wants to return to school, she'll need to find $9,000 in three short months. It seems hopeless... until Bernetta comes up with a plan that involves a lot of lying, a little bit of trickery, and a mysterious stranger with chocolate-brown eyes.

Feathers

The poem that Frannie is reading in scholl is all about hope. But Frannie hasn't thought much about hope lately. After all, there are so many other things to think about. Her friend Samantha, for example, who seems to get more "holy" each day. And Trevor, the class bully. And the new kid, Jesus Boy, who looks white even though he says he's not. Who is he? As winter goes on, bringing with it surprises both good and bad, the idea of hope stays with Frannie, and she begins to see things in a new light. She starts to understand her brother's deafness, her mother's fear, Samantha's faith, Trevor's anger, and-most importantly-her own desire for "the thing with feathers".

Into the Firestorm

Gran's gone now, but her words live on with Nicholas Dray, almost twelve, as he makes his way from the hot cotton fields to that Queen of Cities: San Francisco. Nick's on his own for the first time, with nowhere to turn. Then he meets jaunty, talkative Pat Patterson, owner of the most beautiful store-and the friendliest golden dog-in all the city. And for the first time in months, Nick feels safe. Safe in San Francisco. But the year 1906, the month is April, and early one morning the walls begin to shake. The floor begins to buckle. And the earth opens up. A devastating earthquake and then raging firestorms ravage city, and Nick is right in the middle of it all. But for a young boy who's got few ties and nothing to lose, what's the right choice: escape to safety or stay-at deadly risk- to help others?

Tacky goes to Camp

Tacky and his fellow penguins are off to summer camp in Nice Icy Land to enjoy themselves while rock climbing, crafting, and canoeing. One night, they gather around the campfire to sing, eat s'mores, and tell scary stories. But after they go to bed, something straight out of one of their scary stories pays the sleeping penguins a visit. Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect think they should hightail it out of there, but it is Tracky-with some unexpected heroics- who saves the day.

Will I have a friend?

On the first day of school, Jim anxiously asks, "will I have a friend?" His classmates are busy with their friends and activities, and Jim feels left out. A friendship finally takes root when Paul shares his toy car with Jim, and Jim promises to bring his toy car gas pump to school the next day. As Jim bounces home with his dad at the end of the day, he proudly declares, "I have a friend at school".

These summaries come from the book flaps.