(4) YA Problem teen Wren is muscled out of her house in the dead of night and dropped at a wilderness therapy program. Building shelter, finding water, and starting fires leaves far less time for hate and anger, and readers learn Wren's dramatic backstory as she learns to survive. The plot integrates (not always successfully) traditional Paiute culture through the program's elderly Native storyteller.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(3) 4-6 Running away with his mother from her abusive boyfriend, sixth grader Lincoln Jones has it rough. Bullied at school and teased for his Southern accent (dropped gs appear throughout), Lincoln finds solace in writing while spending his afternoons at the psychiatric care facility where his mother works. Lincoln's is a unique voice of courage and perseverance in the face of adversity and self-doubt.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(2) 4-6 As fearless and feisty thirteen-year-old sleuth Sammy Keyes lies comatose, many colorful characters from previous books visit her in the hospital. Sergeant Gil Borsch, whose sense of propriety Sammy has frequently violated, is determined to figure out who pushed her from a third-floor fire escape. The writing remains snappy in this series-ender; longtime fans will love the chance to give Sammy a satisfying sendoff.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(3) 4-6 When Sammy learns that her absentee mother is getting hitched in Vegas (complicating fallout: Sammy's boyfriend would then be her stepbrother), she teams up with her archenemy (and future friend?!), Heather, to disrupt the wedding. In this sixteenth book, Van Draanen unleashes Sammy's bitterness and anger toward her mom, and the author drops a bombshell: her thirteen-year-old protagonist finally discovers who her father is.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 Sammy has never known her father, but in all her thirteen years, she never imagined that he was a rock star. Now they're on a cruise to Mexico to get to know each other, and Sammy gets embroiled in an heiress's disappearance. This seventeenth mystery won't disappoint fans--Sammy's voice is as engaging as it was in the first.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 Justice Jack, a wannabe superhero (Costume? Check. Booming voice? Check.) wants to recruit thirteen-year-old Sammy as his sidekick. After all, Sammy is known for "giving evildoers a nonstop tour of Fist City." Van Draanen's protagonist is still fresh and feisty as ever in this, her fifteenth outing, and her portrait of a do-gooder "goofy guy in cheap hero gear" is remarkably poignant.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 Grave robbers, vampires, murderers, and human skulls might seem over the top for most trick-or-treaters, but not for Sammy Keyes. The eighth-grade super sleuth and her friends find themselves in the midst of another mystery while navigating the usual challenges of family, friendship, and school. Fans will welcome this fourteenth series entry with its familiar well-developed characters and page-turning suspense.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(2) YA Readers meet teen athlete Jessica in the hospital, beginning the agonizing recovery from a bus crash in which she lost her leg. Very short chapters narrated in the first person show Jessica's gradual adjustment and healing day by day. Van Draanen delivers an abundance of interesting medical detail and emotional authenticity in this thoroughly researched, accessible, and inspirational novel.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2011

(4) 4-6 Gecko & Sticky series. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin. In Substitute, Dave's least-favorite teacher disappears mysteriously--only to be replaced by the ominously familiar Dr. Schwarz. Potion finds Dave and pet gecko Sticky tasked with delivering a package to dangerous Damien Black. The series continues to blend broad school-based humor with outlandish fantasy plots in winning, if a bit frantic, adventures. Review covers these Gecko & Sticky titles: The Power Potion and Sinister Substitute.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) 4-6 Gecko & Sticky series. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin. In Substitute, Dave's least-favorite teacher disappears mysteriously--only to be replaced by the ominously familiar Dr. Schwarz. Potion finds Dave and pet gecko Sticky tasked with delivering a package to dangerous Damien Black. The series continues to blend broad school-based humor with outlandish fantasy plots in winning, if a bit frantic, adventures. Review covers these Gecko & Sticky titles: The Power Potion and Sinister Substitute.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 Can eighth grade possibly be any crazier than last year? Duh, yes!--as Sammy learns in her thirteenth outing. Per usual, Van Draanen skillfully mixes mystery (Sammy's history teacher is receiving "Die Dude" threats) with romance (her soap-star mother's love life is seriously jeopardizing her own) and comedy (as a last-minute bridesmaid, the spunky tomboy must contend with a "Mountain of Lavender" gown and--gasp!--stilettos).

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 Gecko & Sticky series. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin. Dave Sanchez and his sticky-fingered, Spanish-speaking gecko pet star in this series featuring a dastardly villain, ruthless treasure hunt, and Aztec ingots that give their wearer superpowers. The madcap plots sometimes slam on the brakes a little too abruptly, but Sticky's groan-inducing wisecracks help get readers through lulls in the action. Cliffhanger endings will stoke demand for the next series installments. Review covers these Gecko & Sticky titles The Greatest Power and Villain's Lair.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) 4-6 Gecko & Sticky series. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin. Dave Sanchez and his sticky-fingered, Spanish-speaking gecko pet star in this series featuring a dastardly villain, ruthless treasure hunt, and Aztec ingots that give their wearer superpowers. The madcap plots sometimes slam on the brakes a little too abruptly, but Sticky's groan-inducing wisecracks help get readers through lulls in the action. Cliffhanger endings will stoke demand for the next series installments. Review covers these Gecko & Sticky titles The Greatest Power and Villain's Lair.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 When a dying man tells Sammy to throw away bundles of cash, she doesn't exactly follow his instructions. Van Draanen balances the serious stuff (Sammy's red-hot conscience after spending the money, and her pursuit of would-be counterfeiters) with laugh-out-loud sequences (a neighbor repeatedly falls off the toilet) and some romance (Sammy discovers she's interested in locking lips with almost-boyfriend Casey).

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) YA Following her parents' messy breakup, Evangeline reads one of her mom's romance novels and decides she wants a passionate "crimson kiss." She kisses lots of boys, but gets into trouble when she smooches her best friend's crush. Though dubiously realistic, this entertaining book features short, breezy chapters and a refreshing ending: the newly self-confident Evangeline ends up happily independent.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) 4-6 In her latest installment, Sammy, hoping to spot an endangered wild condor, goes camping with the Girl Scouts. When they discover that someone's poaching condors, though, it becomes clear that there's more to this camping trip than meets the eye. Snappy dialogue and quick pacing make this an apt choice for mystery fans.

Reviewer: Allison Cole

(3) 4-6 Abused foster child Holly keeps a journal of her months as a runaway. Always on the move, Holly clings to her writing like a safety blanket. She relies on her uncommon resourcefulness until she is eventually rescued. Though the book stretches credibility, the practical details (e.g., a Hefty sack's life-saving importance) are heartbreaking, and Holly's raw, forceful voice keeps emotions running high.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) 1-3 Shredderman series. Illustrated by Brian Biggs. The third and fourth books about an elementary school superhero who uses the Internet stretch credibility more than the first two. When Nolan, as "Shredderman," unmasks an unscrupulous tabloid reporter and a possible spy ring, local news agencies and even the FBI have trouble discovering his secret identity. Though these volumes will attract fans, Shredderman should have stuck to school problems. Review covers these Shredderman titles: Enemy Spy and Meet the Gecko.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 1-3 Shredderman series. Illustrated by Brian Biggs. The third and fourth books about an elementary school superhero who uses the Internet stretch credibility more than the first two. When Nolan, as "Shredderman," unmasks an unscrupulous tabloid reporter and a possible spy ring, local news agencies and even the FBI have trouble discovering his secret identity. Though these volumes will attract fans, Shredderman should have stuck to school problems. Review covers these Shredderman titles: Enemy Spy and Meet the Gecko.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Brian Biggs. Bullied by Bubba Bixby, fifth-grader Nolan Byrd ("Byrd-the-Nerd") creates a website that features photographic and video clip evidence of Bubba's misbehavior. Written in Nolan's conversational first-person voice, this story of grade-school angst and empowerment is written in a generally humorous style, despite a somewhat mawkish ending. Tongue-in-cheek illustrations accompany the breezy text.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta