Half Magic

Title: Half Magic
Author: Edward Eager
ISBN: 0152020683

Review/Summary: I first read this book when I was 10 years old. I adored it. I re-read it for this class so I could see if I still found it amusing, smart, and suitable for tweens. I do! Eager has a writing style similar to George MacDonald or C.S. Lewis in that he makes himself a part of the story. The book is openly a story being told by an author. While narrating, Eager says all sorts of amusing things. In Half Magic, he tells the story of four siblings who find a magic talisman at the start of summer vacation. When one of the children touches the talisman and makes a wish, the wish comes true... halfway. Because the charm only half grants wishes, the children must become adept at wishing for twice what they truly want. Martha, the youngest, accidentally wishes her cat could talk. Unfortunately, the cat can only half talk. She doesn't meow anymore, but all that comes out of her mouth is jumbled nonsense. Half words. It takes Martha quite a few tries before she can successfuly fix things. Martha, Katherine, Mark and Jane go through several adventures during their summer vacation, some purposefully and some accidentally. Of course, while meeting King Arthur and travling through the desert on camel-back, the children learn all sorts of lessons. Eager wrote Half Magic in the 1950s, and sometimes it shows. But overall the book is incredibly enjoyable and imaginative. Even better, most of Eager's other titles tie in with this one, making for a kind of series reading. I'd recommend Half Magic to smart younger readers with a penchant for magical adventure.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8

Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8

Publisher: Dark Horse

Review/Summary: Yes, BtVS: Season 8 is a little cheesy. Yes, it makes a person wish they had the show back. But, yes, comic-book form can also take the series to places it couldn't have gone on television (special effects are expensive!). Tweens today might not know Buffy as well as girls in my generation. She's not on TV anymore. She is, however, on DVD and offered as instant-watch on Netflix. I can only hope that tween girls are watching Rory Gilmore and Buffy Summers on DVD as frequently as I did. Buffy has always been a fantastic role model, in my opinion. She does the annoying thing where she whines about her lack of normalcy, and her desire for a "normal life" (just like Claire on Heroes). But she understands that as long as she's not normal, she has to embrace her role as defender of the world. Buffy's a small girl with a big punch; someone who speaks her mind; someone who stands up for the underdog; someone who sacrifices her own interests to protect her friends and to protect strangers (remember prom?).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: season 8 continues where the show left off. Buffy isn't the only slayer anymore, and she isn't stuck in Sunnydale. What happens when there are hundreds of slayers who can fight evil anywhere in the world? The comic-book series does its best to answer that question. Sometimes the stories are funny, sometimes sad, sometimes exciting, and sometimes a little over-the-top cheesy (Dawn is a centaur? Really?). But for girls who can't get enough of the show, or prefer to read instead of watch, I'd recommend BtVS season 8.

Hoot

Title: Hoot

Author: Carl Hiaasen

ISBN: 1905775040

Review/Summary: After Roy moves to Florida with his family, he decides it's much less interesting than Montana. But then he spots the running boy. The stranger sprints crazily along the sidewalk, through backyards and into the woods--all without shoes on. To make it even weirder, he doesn't appear to attend school. By following this mystery, Roy stumbles across another discovery: tiny, perfect burrowing owls. Unfortunately, the tiny birds are about to be bulldozed by the construction crew who's putting up Mother Paula's Pancake House. Together with the running boy, Roy tries desperately to save the owls from their terrible fate.

Hiaasen writes with a subtle sense of humor, fantastic imagery, and an uncanny ability to sound like an 11-year-old boy. "Hoot" should be an enjoyable read for just about anyone, though I'd especially recommend it to nature lovers, animal lovers, and anyone trying to stand up for justice!

Fruits Basket

Title: Fruits Basket

Format: DVD

Air Date: 2001; DVD Release: 2009

Review/Summary: This anime series was adapted from a serialized manga. The manga has since been turned into a series of books, often seen alongside titles like "Bleach" and "Naruto." "Fruits Basket" tells the story of Tohru Honda and the Sohma family. After her mother's death, Tohru has no place to live and--after a series of coincidences--winds up living with Yuki and Shigure Sohma. When their cousin Kyo appears, the crazy Sohma history is revealed to Tohru. Somehow, the Sohma's have been cursed. With a really really weird family curse. When hugged by members of the opposite sex, members of the Sohma family turn into animals from the Chinese Zodiac. Kyo becomes a cat, Shigure becomes a dog, and Yuki turns into the rat. Although the curse is the instigator for crazy hijinks early on, it also becomes the deeper focus of the show. The Sohmas have rarely gotten close to anyone outside the family for fear of revealing their curse, or out of belief that the curse will make them undesirable, lesser or unworthy. Tohru helps the Sohmas to see that they are amazing people who can still have friendships and even relationships. Tohru eventually makes it her mission to save the Sohmas by breaking the family curse.

I'd recommend Fruits Basket to tweens who already love anime. Some of the voice acting isn't the best, and the action tends to move super fast or super slow. It can be a little hard to keep up with sometimes. I loved Sailor Moon when I was in middle school, and I think I could have easily appreciated Fruits Basket, too. Once you get past the flaws, you find a strong female lead, interesting characters and a good message. The language is definitely not G-rated, so I'd feel more comfortable recommending it to tweens 13 and up.

The Waters and the Wild

Title: The Waters and the Wild
Author: Francesca Lia Block
ISBN: 0061452440

Review/Summary: Bee has never felt like she belonged. Not once in her 13 years. Rather than play, she gardened. Instead of dressing up, she put on the same hoodie or jacket every day. One night, Bee wakes up to find a girl who looks just like her standing in her bedroom. Bee researches the phenonmenon of doppelgangers and begins to fear for her life. Is the doppelganger an omen of her death? She begins talking to Joseph Hayes, aka "Haze," because of his interest in the paranormal. All of a sudden she can see past his "flaws." Bee forgets about his stutter, his thick glasses and his bad skin. And right after she makes this friend, another one comes her way: Sarah, the girl with a beautiful voice who can't seem to find her place in the modern world. Haze, Bee and Sarah form an immediate, strong bond. They try to fight Bee's doppelganger and their own lack of confidence.

Francesca Lia Block tells this story in her usual fashion: poetically and with sparse dialog. Most of the story comes from Bee's perspective, though with a 3rd-person voice. Unfortunately, none of the characters ever grow to be 3D. They remain very shallow and vague. I had a hard time holding on to them, even when I desperately wanted to. I understood that the three characters were lost, confused and sad; but I never felt any of these things. FLB poured herself into Weetzie Bat (and all the sequels). Those books remain shining in my memory, and I feel like Waters and the Wild just doesn't live up to FLB's potential in any way. I wouldn't call it a bad book, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a great one, either. It's very similar to Alice Hoffman's Green Angel, actually.

Recommended for readers 13 and up--especially fans of Francesca Lia Block and Alice Hoffman.

Smart Girls at the Party

Title: Smart Girls at the Party

Format: TV show/online

Review/Summary: Smart Girls at the Party is an Internet series created by Amy Poehler, Meredith Walker and Amy Miles. In each episode, Amy Poehler interviews a tween girl about her particular forte. The first episode, for example, features 10-year-old Cameron, who writes supernatural stories. Amy asks Cameron all about her writing techniques, writers' block, and future writing goals. It was funny to me, but only because I sounded exactly like Cameron when I was 10! Another episode features Anna, who is in 3rd grade and loves yoga. She takes the show creators outside to do some yoga, and works with each of them on their poses.

The show might turn off older tweens, if only because it features girls 9-12. Someone who is just getting out of that age group--who is perhaps 14 or 15--might not necessarily enjoy this. They might, but they might not identify with these girls anymore. For younger tweens, though--the 10 year olds and the 5th graders--would probably get a lot of encouragement out of Amy Poehler's interviews. If nothing else, they'll feel better about themselves and their own interests. Smart Girls at the Party's tagline reads: "Celebrating extraordinary individuals who are changing the world by being themselves." Poehler might be trying to turn girls on to new things, but I think she's more interested in reassuring tween girls that being themselves is completely okay.

The Secret Science Alliance

Title: The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook

Author: Eleanor Davis

ISBN: 1599903962

Summary/Review: Julian gets a second chance when he moves to a new school. No longer will he have to be Brainiac or Geek or Super Nerd! He tries really hard to be "normal" on his first few days, hoping to avoid getting stuffed into lockers or teased for being smart. But when he lets his guard down and begins babbling about aerodynamics during science class, the truth is revealed. Luckily for Julian, this turns out to be a good thing. Ben, whom Julian had written off as "dumb jock," and Greta, who seemed to be a scary troublemaker, recruit Julian into their science club. The three of them rename themselves The Secret Science Alliance and spend the whole school year creating new gadgets, gizmos and scientific pranks. But when a thieving scientist steals their invention notebook, The Secret Science Alliance must get serious. How do they stop the perpetrator from putting their projects to evil uses? Can Julian stop a crime, or just create witty "Kick Me" signs? Their skills get put to the test in this brilliant graphic novel. I'd recommend the book to anyone 8 and up who loves science, graphic novels, humor, and entertaining adventure stories.

Books for Boys

I like to avoid separating things by gender. Perhaps this is because I've always resented having pink everything. Perhaps it's because I know as many boys as girls who read; as many girls as boys who play sports; as many girls as boys who play videogames; and as many boys and girls who love being artistic and creative. Regardless, I avoid it whenever possible. Still... there's some truth to the idea that more girls read than boys--particularly during elementary and middle school, which trickles on into high school. I've also been told that girls will read books (and watch movies, etc.) with male or female main characters. Boys, though, really really prefer male protagonists. This week in class we were discussing "outliers." Part of the discussion revolved around, "Where are the boy readers?" As a girl, I'm guilty of reading books that appeal to girls. That's not to say that I don't like "boy books," but it's not my inclination to take gender into consideration when picking out a book. I'm going to take a moment here to sort out my past reads by their boy-ness, and try to make a list of books that I think would be fun for tween boys.

*Ender's Game series, and Ender's Shadow series. Orson Scott Card. Fantastic sci-fi for readers 13 and up.

*Little Brother. Cory Doctorow. A crazy take on technology and terrorism. Adventure, thrills, and X-box hacking for readers 13 and up.

*Alex Rider series. Anthony Horowitz. Far-fetched but fun spy adventures for readers 10 and up.

*Marley: A Dog Like No Other. John Grogan. A hilarious book for dog lovers. 9 and up.

*The House With a Clock in its Walls. And other books by John Bellairs. I read them in elementary school, but I'd imagine these books would be spooky enough and entertaining all the way through high school. Bellairs always uses boys as main characters.

*Redwall series. Brian Jacques. I began these in 4th grade, and they were a hit with all the girls and the boys. They're on the easy side, but would be great for younger tweens.

*Harry Potter. JK Rowling. No explanation needed...

*The Lord of the Rings series. JRR Tolkien. Older tweens (or very good readers).

*Holes. Louis Sachar. My non-sci-fi pick!

...Hm. That's a shorter list than I'd like, but that's all I've got off the top of my head. Anyone have any other picks?

The Sarah Jane Adventures

Title: The Sarah Jane Adventures

Format: DVD

Year: 2008

Summary/Review: Let's make a parallel to John Grogan's Marley & Me. There was the original version, with all the human drama thrown in. That one was for grown-ups. Then there was Marley: A Dog Like No Other, which was geared towards 9-12 year-olds and had the adult material cut out. There are even younger versions: picture books and chapter books and Marley Christmas books. Well, in the world of Doctor Who, there's the original show, which is completely family friendly. Then there's Torchwood, which has adult materials. And there's The Sarah Jane Adventures, which is more like the Marley chapter books. It's not that younger audiences can't enjoy Doctor Who, but the show centers on older characters. Sarah Jane used to travel with the Doctor, and is a grown up, and has all kinds of crazy alien gadgets. But her companions--the stars of the show--are younger teenagers. While tweens could certainly watch Doctor Who (and I'd happily recommend it), I think the Sarah Jane Adventures would be even more enjoyable.

Thirty years ago, Sarah Jane Smith traveled through time and space with The Doctor. After returning to Earth, Sarah Jane became an investigative journalist. Thanks to the Doctor (and other aliens she's met), Sarah Jane is also the owner of some weird and useful alien technology. Using her gadgets and her investigative prowess, Sarah Jane uncovers alien plots throughout London. Throughout the show, she enlists the help of her son, Luke, and his friends Clyde and Maria, to save London and the world from alien invasion. It's a great show for kids and younger tweens, and anyone looking for a less-adult Doctor Who.

Doctor Who

Title: Doctor Who: The Complete First Series

Format: DVD
Year: 2006

Summary/Review: Doctor Who has been on and off the air since the 1960s. The Doctor is an alien who can travel through time and space. Although there used to be others like him, the Doctor is now the last of the Time Lords. He claims to be a simple traveler; but on nearly every pit stop, he winds up saving the city/town/planet/universe. He rarely travles alone. In this series, his companion is a 19-year-old girl named Rose Tyler who has almost never been outside of London.

This would be a great show for tweens who love sci-fi. I grew up watching shows like Sliders and Quantum Leap. This would have been right up my alley! I think Rose is a great character for a tween audience, particularly after watching her grow up through the series. She begins pretty directionless, and winds up learning her strengths and skills, helping to save people's lives. Doctor Who might not be the perfect show for tweens who avoid sci-fi and fantasy; but I'd highly recommend it to tweens with big imaginations and a penchant for special effects.

Green Angel

Title: Green Angel

Author: Alice Hoffman

ISBN: 0545204119

Summary/Review: Green, a shy 15-year-old girl, lives in a village with her mother, her father, and her perfect sister Aurora. They grow vegetables and sell them in the city. One day, when her family goes to the city, Green must stay behind to tend the garden and the house. On that day, of all days, disaster strikes the city. The buildings burn. The people burn. The vegetables burn. Green's family burns. "Green Angel" follows her transformation from Green to Ash--a tough-shelled, tattooed girl with cropped hair. While learning to protect herself, she also seems to lose herself.

Alice Hoffman's books are always poetic. "Green Angel," though, sometimes becomes supersaturated with flowery language. Hoffman's penchant for metaphor definitely fits the story. It's told from Green's foggy, grief-stricken perspective, and the vague, poetic language creates the right mood. But there are times when Hoffman repeats herself solely to insert a new simile. If I could edit this book, I would make it even shorter than it already is. However, 13-year-old readers might not be quite as picky as I am about Hoffman's writing... "Green Angel" should definitely appeal to Francesca Lia Block fans, as well as Hoffman fans. I'd also recommend it to tween readers looking for a higher-level, but short, book.

Planet B-Boy

Title: Planet B-Boy
Format: DVD
Director: Benson Lee
Year: 2007

Summary/Review: The documentary "Planet B-Boy" begins with a brief history of b-boying, or breakdancing, around the world. It follows with interviews of B-Boy pioneers and current b-boys, and ends with footage from 2007's Battle of the Year. The bulk of the documentary focuses on a handful of International b-boy crews as they practice for, and compete in, the Battle of the Year in Germany.

I'm very white and very Midwestern (if labels mean anything), so my boyfriend thought it was odd when he came home to find me watching Planet B-Boy. But, regardless of culture/etc., how can someone not be fascinated by these dancers? Their stories are interesting and their moves are amazing. The muscles on these people! And their ability to spin, jump, flip around! Beyond that, too--the way all these people relate to breakdancing despite their very different backgrounds and lifestyles. The team from South Korea was made up of teenagers from the country who lived pretty impoverished lives. The team from France used breakdance to reach out to youth in a community center. And the team from the USA competed with full support from their parents--something pretty unimaginable to the Korean and Japanese teams.

Planet B-Boy could be an excellent documentary choice for tweens. I'd recommend it to viewers on the older end of the tween spectrum, simply for the subtitles, some of the subject matter, and the language (they're b-boys; don't expect them to have super-clean vocabularies!). But anyone 13 and up should be able to read the subtitles fast enough, enjoy the subject matter, and be entranced by the crazy moves.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Title: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Format: TV (Nickelodeon)
2005-2008

Summary/Review: Once upon a time, the world was split into four nations of people who all lived together in balance. The air, fire, water and earth people embraced their own cultural identities, but also traded with, worked with, and made friends with people from the other nations. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the fire nation made a deadly attack on the rest of the world. Ever since--for over 100 years--the world has been at war. Legend says that the Avatar will return with his mastery of all four elements, and will bring peace with him.

This show is not quite anime, but it's definitely anime-inspired. The excellent visuals combine with interesting plot, good writing, humor and character-development to form a truly amazing show. Viewers watch Aang as he comes into his own as the Avatar. He and his friends have to learn teamwork, as well as hone their individual talents. They're very defined characters, through their actions and through their dialogue (the writing is incredibly strong for a cartoon). The show also tackles moral and social issues without getting bogged down by conscience. I'd recommend Avatar: The Last Airbender to anyone ages 8 and up. It could definitely be enjoyed by kids, but there's plenty of stuff to chew on for older viewers. Avatar's an excellent choice for fans of anime, and people who want to get into anime but aren't quite sure where to start.

The Omnivore's Dilemma for Young Readers

Title: The Omnivore's Dilemma: The secrets behind what you eat (Young Reader's Edition)

Author: Michael Pollan

ISBN: 0803735006

Summary: This is Michael Pollan's best-seller, adapted for readers aged 9 and up. The font is larger and the vocabulary is not as difficult. I also have a feeling Pollan doesn't get quite as detailed as he does in the "regular" version (I've never read it). The book is separated into four sections: Industrial Farming, Industrial Organics, Local, and Do-it-Yourself. Pollan writes about corn, and how the crop has essentially taken over the American food system. He follows a calf from birth to the slaughterhouse. He works with a "beyond organic" farmer who uses completely natural methods to produce meat and eggs. And he shows you how to live off your own land, picking mushrooms and gardening.

I think young readers can get as much out of Pollan's research as adults. Clearly, he and his publishers think so, too! Personally, I found the book depressing. I'm already aware of most of these issues, and reading the book was just a reminder of the sad state of American food. But for people who don't know anything about this, Pollan's work can be an important wake up call. This edition is written in such a way that younger audiences can understand it, but the information definitely hasn't been dumbed down. 9-year-olds might be overwhelmed by all the information packed into the book. It also took me quite awhile to get through, so it could be a slow read for child and tween readers. I'd recommend it to strong readers, kids interested in farming or agriculture or cooking, and any younger readers with a penchant for non-fiction.

Whip It

*Whip It. 2010. 20th Century Fox. Directed by Drew Barrymore. Rated PG-13. DVD*

Whip It has a PG-13 rating, and this is one time when I agree with the ratings system. I'd feel uncomfortable recommending this to a viewer younger than 13 (although maybe a 12 year old could handle it). But I also think it's appropriate for middle school audiences.

The film focuses on Bliss Cavendar, a 17-year-old high-school student who lacks direction. Her mother "forces" her to do beauty pageants, since she loved doing beauty pageants when she was younger. Bliss, though, feels out of place in that world. In one of the film's first scenes, Bliss shows up on the pageant stage with blue hair. But while she wants to rebel against her mother's world, Bliss doesn't know where she belongs. ...Until she discovers roller derby.

From here, the film takes off on its predictable but entertaining ride. Bliss tries out for The Girl Scouts roller derby team and makes it, even though she hasn't skated in years and she isn't 21 (the required age for derby girls). She's renamed Babe Ruthless, and becomes the super-fast poster child of Texas Roller Derby. She meets a boy, gets into a fight with her best friend, and must come to terms with her parents' needs and wants, as well as her own needs and wants.

Whip It would have been one of my favorite movies when I was 14. It has a great message of girl power, and is incredibly empowering for any girl who feels lost and isn't quite sure where to go. Viewers should walk away feeling like they can go anywhere, be anybody, and become anything they want. The film deals with some more mature issues, such as sex and underage drinking. But, aside from the token puking-at-the-party scene, Whip It isn't very graphic. I think it would be a great film for middle schoolers to watch with their parents (who can then talk about some of the issues), but it should also be a safe enough movie for them to watch on their own.

Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

*Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death. Hit Entertainment. 2008*

I've been a huge Wallace and Gromit fan for over 10 years. I couldn't wait to see their new one! While it's enjoyable, though, it's certainly not their best. It's hard to live up to The Wrong Trousers. I get that.

In their newest adventure, Wallace and Gromit have taken up baking. They're the proud proprietors of Top Bun--a bread-baking company that delivers fresh bread to cafes all over the city. Everything is going smoothly (meaning, Wallace is nerdy and Gromit takes care of everything), until Wallace meets and falls in love with the Bake-O-Lite girl. Wallace is so blinded by love, he quickly proposes. Gromit, meanwhile, discovers that Ms. Bake-O-Lite is not all she seems.

I saw my first Wallace and Gromit when I was 15. My sisters, 14 and 18 at the time, also loved the British duo. Considering their success, I must assume that people everywhere, of all ages, love Wallace and Gromit, too. I've seen their short films shelved in the children's department at some libraries, and the stories are certainly appropriate for young viewers. But, like Pixar movies, the Wallace and Gromit films are witty and humorous enough for audiences of all ages. Tweens should definitely enjoy A Matter of Loaf and Death. I'd recommend this film to anyone--but especially to viewers who love animated movies like The Incredibles and Up.

The City of Ember

*The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau. ISBN: 0385736282*

Reading The City of Ember, I could never shake the feeling that I was reading a Giver rip-off. It was a well-done copy, to be sure; but the story seemed pretty redundant. The story begins some time in the future, though we're never told when. It takes place in Ember--a city that seems to be the only human civilization on Earth. At least, no one in Ember has ever been outside the city, and the founders stated that "Ember is the only light in a world of darkness." The city depends completely on an old generator, and it's obviously beginning to break down. The sky is black, and the world is completely dark unless the floodlights are on. If the generator goes out, the lights go out, and the world would end. Or so we're led to believe. No on in Ember knows how to make "a moveable light," so the reader must assume that flashlights and candles don't exist. Whoever created the city 200 years ago (the people known as The Builders) made the city dependent on electricity, and made no stipulations for the electricity failing.

...Or did they?

Thanks to the introduction, readers understand that The Builders left a message for the people of Ember and locked it in a box. It was meant to open 200-or-so years later and provide the people with instructions for leaving the city. Assuming the Earth was still healthy, the people from Ember would be able to start over. Somewhere. But the box got lost, and when it finally opened, the instructions were chewed up by an infant named Poppy. The City of Ember is the story of Poppy's sister Lina, and Lina's friend Doon. The two twelve-year-olds must decipher the instructions and save Ember before the generator completely dies.

Like I said, things about this book reminded me a lot of The Giver. People in Ember decide their careers by pulling jobs out of a hat when they're 12. In the Giver, they're assigned jobs when they turn 12. Family sizes appear limited in both books. Both cities have rituals, but no real religion. Etcetera. But, like I also said, The City of Ember feels like a well-done copy. It made for an enjoyable read. It could be easily read and understood by a smart 9 or 10 year old, and could still be enjoyed by a 15-year-old. Trying to decipher the instructions with Lina and Doon can be frustrating (since I figured them out long before they did), but also kind of fun. There's plenty of suspense to keep the reader intrigued, and the writing is clever and not dumbed-down. I'd recommend this book to smart younger readers, fans of puzzle books (like the first Redwall), and people who enjoyed The Giver.

iCarly

*iCarly. Nickelodeon (2007-)*

In the pilot episode, Carly and her best friend Sam get into trouble at school. Their punishment is filming students' auditions for the talent show. While Sam and Carly run the auditions, Carly's friend Freddie records them. He's supposed to go home and upload the auditions to SplashFace (iCarly's version of YouTube) so their teacher Ms. Briggs can watch them at home. Instead of uploading the auditions, though, Freddie uploads footage of Carly and Sam making jokes. Before Freddie can take the video down, over 28,000 people have watched Carly and Sam. This inspires Carly to create her own web-show, called iCarly, co-hosted by Sam and filmed by Freddie.

Carly's dad is in the military and is stationed in Europe. Her older brother, Spencer, acts as her legal guardian. The 26-year-old artist has an amazing apartment, filled with his crazy creations, an elevator, and other perfect props for a web-show set. It's a perfect Nickelodeon show set up: no parents; cool guardian; attractive 14-year-old girl and her attractive-and-funny best-friend; geeky friend with amazing tech skills and equipment; super cool apartment. Unfortunately, Nickelodeon decided to tack on a laugh-track, which takes away from the show's authenticity. Anyone watching gets bombarded by canned laughter every other minute.

Although it seems ridiculously unlikely to me, iCarly becomes an overnight success, drawing 34,000 viewers to the first show. Carly, Sam and Freddie have to deal with becoming famous. Episodes, then, contain "realistic" problems of 14-year-olds, as well as problems with fame and status. I'm sure it's the right blend of fantasy and I-can-relate for tween audiences.

After watching the show, I thought it seemed kind of forced. Between the over-the-top acting and the bad laugh track, I was pretty turned off. Something about it reminded me of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which I also never liked much. I understood how people could enjoy it, but the humor was so obvious and the acting so fake. But there are also elements of iCarly that remind me of Boy Meets World, which I did really like as a teenager. I can see younger tweens (maybe 9-12 year olds) enjoying iCarly. But after hitting 14, it might feel a little young. I'm not sure that teenagers really watch Nickelodeon after reaching 14. I'm kind of out of touch, there...

A perk of iCarly is the emphasis on technology. These reviews of the show mention kids being inspired to create their own web shows. As long as kids realize they aren't going to have 30,000 fans overnight, making a show like iCarly could be a great (and educational) experience. YouTube and podcasting--and even blogging--are great ways to make public statements and/or art, and kids should be learning how to use this technology in safe, responsible ways. I think they'll also be benefited by learning these tools at a young age. So although I can recommend iCarly to a 9-12 audience for simple entertainment, I recommend it even more for tech inspiration.

Skeleton Key

*Skeleton Key (Alex Rider #3), by Anthony Horowitz. 2006.*

In the first Alex Rider book, Stormbreaker, Alex discovers that his uncle worked as a spy for MI-6. The official story is that Ian Rider died in a car accident. Alex doesn't believe it, though, and sets out to find the truth. Because of his curiosity, Alex finds himself involved with MI-6. But while Alex just wants answers, MI-6 wants to recruit Alex to finish his uncle's last mission.

Skeleton Key finds Alex once again working for MI-6. He hesitantly becomes a ball boy at Wimbeldon in order to investigate a suspicious break-in. Rather than finding a thief, though, Alex discovers a plot to destroy the entire Wimbeldon tournament. He also becomes a target of Big Circle--a large and dangerous criminal gang. In order to escape assassination attempts by Big Circle, Alex is sent out of the country. But it's MI-6's idea of a holiday; not Alex's.

Alex's "vacation" turns out to be a more dangerous mission than anyone admitted. Undercover with the CIA, Alex believed he was helping with an observation. But, once again, things immediately become more complicated. The observation turns into a search for nuclear weapons and a quest to prevent a Russian general from ruling the world.

Anthony Horowitz created another compelling adventure in Skeleton Key. When I read the first Alex Rider book, I wasn't expecting much more than shallow entertainment. I still think some of the plot is incredibly obvious (or unbelievable), but Horowitz makes up for it with good writing. This is the kind of series that can appeal to readers across a wide spectrum. Some of the vocabulary might challenge 9-year-olds, but the story will encourage them to increase their word skills and finish the book. And while 4th graders will enjoy Alex's adventures, 10th graders would probably be happy reading this series, as well. I'd recommend Skeleton Key to an older tween who's reluctant to read. It's suspenseful enough to keep the reader engaged, and Horowitz's writing never feels childish. Alex Rider could also provide a good break for an older tween who typically reads harder literature. Skeleton Key might be a great adventure story during Christmas break or summer holidays.

Ratatouille

*Ratatouille (2007). Pixar/Disney.*

I wanted to see this movie when it first came out, but I never got around to it. Reviewing items for tweens inspired me to finally rent (and watch!) Ratatouille.

Basically, a rat named Remy falls in love with food. He can't understand why his family and friends are okay with eating garbage. Because he can read, he learns about food through the book, Everyone Can Cook. When his colony is destroyed, Remy ends up at a restaurant in Paris. He's happy to watch through the skylight as the chefs create amazing dishes. But when he sees the new garbage boy trying to fix a soup--and realizes he's destroying it--Remy enters the kitchen and puts his skills to the test.

This begins a partnership between the boy, Linguine, and Remy. The rat has the skill, and Linguine has the ability to "appear human." Remy's talent puts Linguine in the spotlight, leading to all kinds of crazy situations. The garbage boy and the rat suddenly become highly important in the Paris food scene.

Chris and I watched this movie with tweens in mind (although we were truly watching it for ourselves). We decided that it's definitely appropriate for tweens, since it's rated G. It's also amusing, smart, and well-animated. While Ratatouille may be marketed as a kids' movie, it's plenty entertaining for people of all ages. Chris thought tweens might be embarrassed to openly enjoy Ratatouille, because it's a kids' movie and tweens are trying to get away from younger media. But when I think of myself in the 6th grade, loving Little Women, I can't help thinking I would have enjoyed Ratatouille and said so. Perhaps it's more suited for younger tweens, though tweens on any end of the spectrum should enjoy this Pixar flick.