Century #1:  Ring of Fire
by P.D. Baccalario

Publisher's Note:  Every hundred years, four kids from four cities must save the world.

Rome, December 29.

A mix-up with their reservations forces Harvey from New York, Mistral from Paris, and Sheng from Shanghai to share a room with the hotel owner’s daughter, Elettra. The four kids discover an amazing coincidence—they all have birthdays on February 29, Leap Day. That night, a strange man gives them a briefcase and asks them to take care of it until he returns. Soon afterward, the man is murdered.

The kids open the briefcase. In it they find a series of clues that take them all over Rome, through dusty libraries and dark catacombs, in search of the elusive Ring of Fire, an ancient object so powerful that legend says even a Roman emperor couldn’t control it.

In the first book of the Century quartet, Italian author P. D. Baccalario begins a mystery that will take four cities and four extraordinary kids to solve.

Overall Review:  With non-stop action, clue-chasing, and an exotic location, Ring of Fire feels like National Treasure, The Thief Lord, and The Lightning Thief all rolled into one.  This book brings together a distinct cast of four international characters to solve a mystery ignited in Rome.  The first in a series that promises to take readers around the globe, Ring of Fire has a 39 Clues-vibe.   However, perhaps it would be fairer to say the 39 Clues Series has a Ring of Fire-vibe, since Baccalario’s book was published in Italian first.  Never predictable, the book has charming touches like the photographic inserts with visuals accompanying the path of clues.  The sinister villain, Mr. Mahler, receives high marks for originality.  The choice of present tense gives the book a subtle feel of immediacy.  Hard-hitting pacing propels the story to a conclusion that has more questions than answers, leaving the reader anxious for the next book.  Quite enjoyable, this is one of those series that can hook young readers, female and male alike, with its action and likeable, diverse protagonists.  Overall  Rating:   4 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  a few mild and three moderate instances

PROFANITY:  several mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  none

MATURE THEMES:  none

RECOMMENDED AGE:   12+

Mild instances of violence included a building collapse resulting in a reported death and some minor injuries to several characters; a character is punched and rendered unconscious; a character is shoved against a wall and slapped; a scuffle between two characters involving punching and tackling results in a character tripping and hitting his head; an explosion.   Moderate violence consisted of a brief scene in which a character’s throat was slit with a most unusual murder weapon; a scuffle with a security guard in which a character bites another character and a security earpiece is melted while in the guard’s ear; a character is shot and other characters encounter blood and the injured person.

Mild profanity was noted nine times.

Although younger readers would probably enjoy this book, the three scenes of moderate violence seemed a bit much for a nine year old.  Thus, I recommend it for ages 12+. 

This book is a Clean Read for ages 12+!

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Random House Books for a review

_ The L.A. Dodger (Ballpark Mysteries #3)
by David A. Kelly

Publisher’s Note: Now batting third—book #3 in a brand-new early chapter book mystery series where each book is set in a different American ballpark!

It's spring break and Kate and Mike are off to Los Angeles to visit Kate's dad, a scout for the Dodgers. But all is not sunny in L.A.—strange things have been happening to Kate's dad. Pages have gone missing from his clipboard. He's gotten threatening phone calls. And he thinks he's being followed! Is someone after Mr. Hopkins's top secret scouting reports?

The L.A. Dodger includes a fun fact page about Los Angeles's Dodger Stadium.

Cross Ron Roy's A to Z mystery series with Matt Christopher's sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunnits aimed at the younger brothers and sisters of John Feinstein's fans.

Overall Review:In the spirit of The Magic Treehouse, two children find themselves constantly in the midst of an adventure.  But instead of a magic treehouse, or even a magic anything, all the mystery and excitement revolves around baseball!  In this installment, it appears that someone is trying to get Kate’s dad fired…or does it go even further than that?  Does someone want to bring down the whole team?  Could the L.A. Dodgers be in trouble?  Kate and Mike, in the spirit of all curious children, soon discover the source of what could be the problem, but he’s always one step ahead of them (hence, the ‘L.A. Dodger’).  Can they outsmart him and help Kate’s dad keep his job (and his sanity)?  The fate of the L.A. Dodgers is in the hand of two smart kids with a plan!  The L.A. Dodger is a fun little mystery whose fast pace and easy reading level will bring joy to any young fan of baseball.  Overall rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:
PROFANITY: None

VIOLENCE: One Very Mild instance

SEXUAL CONTENT: None

MATURE THEMES: None

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 9+

There are a few moments when the main characters try to catch the ‘bad’ guy—there is some yelling and slight ‘tackling’ as a backpack is grabbed.  But other than that, there is absolutely nothing questionable.

The L.A. Dodger is without a doubt a Squeaky Clean read for ages 9+.

_This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Random House for a review

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The Stone Child
by Dan Poblocki

What if the monsters from your favorite horror books were real?

Eddie Fennicks has always been a loner, content to lose himself in a mystery novel by his favorite author, Nathaniel Olmstead. That's why moving to the small town of Gatesweed becomes a dream come true when Eddie discovers that Olmstead lived there before mysteriously disappearing thirteen years ago. Even better, Eddie finds a handwritten, never-before-seen Nathaniel Olmstead book printed in code and befriends Harris, who's as much an Olmsteady as he is. But then the frightening creatures of Olmstead's books begin to show up in real life, and Eddie's dream turns into a nightmare. Eddie, Harris, and their new friend, Maggie, must break Olmstead's code, banish all gremlins and monster lake-dogs from the town of Gatesweed, and solve the mystery of the missing author, all before Eddie's mom finishes writing her own tale of terror and brings to life the scariest creature of all.

Overall Review:  Dan Poblocki pulls no punches in The Stone Child by jumping right into action in literally the first sentence.  With solid and distinctive characterization, the author introduces Eddie, Harris, and Maggie, a trio of unlikely friends brought together by a mystery.  Poblocki does a fabulous job of painting suspenseful scenes that take the reader right to the edge and then pulling them back again; achieving a good balance in cultivating apprehension without crossing the line.  Creative creatures and a sprinkling of humor at a few key moments add to the charm.  First rate pacing clips the story along to a befitting and well-done conclusion.  One minor complaint was the miniscule font size and style chosen for some of the book and journal entries made the text difficult to read.  The suspense, peril, atmosphere, intriguing back story, and just the right amount of creepiness hooked me.  Since I don’t like “scary” books and avoid anything that remotely approaches horror, the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed this book comes as high recommendation indeed.  Scare yourself…just the right amount… and read The Stone Child.  Overall  Rating:   4.5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

Violence:  a few mild instances

Profanity:  three mild instances

Sexual content:  none

Mature themes:  none

Recommended Age:   12+

Violence consists of a vehicle hitting a creature; characters being chased by hooded creatures; magical creatures or beasts threatening and attempting to harm characters, although no harm is inflicted.  Characters learn through reading that in their community a child was abducted and a school teacher was found dead in a field.  The characters read a passage from a fictional book in which a scary and non-defined creature is hit by a car and then it turns the driver into goo when he touches it. 

Profanity consists of three mild profanities. 

No mature themes were present, but general themes include creativity, bravery, friends, and persevering to solve difficulties.

This book is quite atmospheric and frightening at times.  The characters read excerpts from scary books four times; three of those excerpts contain no violence, but are hair-raising.  There are three instances in which characters experience illusions and those scenes are confusing and scary.  While most of the time “nothing” happens, it can be intense reading.  The publisher tagged the age group as 9-12, but I recommend a 12+ based on the fear factor.   This book is a Clean Read for ages 12+.

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Random House Books for Young Readers for a review.

The Rivalry:  Mystery at the Army-Navy Game
by John Feinstein

Publisher's Note:  Bestselling writer John Feinstein is back with another exciting sports-mystery, this one set behind the scenes at the storied Army-Navy football game.

Teen sportswriters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are thrilled to be covering "America's Game."  The Black Knights of Army and the Midshipmen of Navy have met on the football field since 1890, and it's a rivalry like no other, filled with tradition. But this year, the match-up is also filled with intrigue.

For weeks, Stevie and Susan Carol have been spending time at Annapolis and West Point, getting to know the players, and coaches. And the secret service agents. Since the president will be attending the game, security will, of course, be tighter than tight. As the game draws nearer Stevie and Susan Carol can tell that the agents are getting tenser.  

But as usual when Stevie and Susan Carol cover a big event--nothing is quite as it seems, and the coaches aren't the only ones calling plays...

Overall Review:  The Rivalry:  Mystery at the Army-Navy Game by John Feinstein is definitely a sports book first with the mystery playing second fiddle.  The story follows two, fourteen year-old, aspiring reporters, Stevie and Susan Carol, as they are immersed in the culture of two military schools, the schools’ rivalry, the historic game, and what it feels like to be reporting from the sidelines.  Whispers of a mystery don’t really appear until about page 100.  Feinstein’s writing is solid and flows best when he is absorbed in the sports and newspaper reporting aspects of the story.  One complaint was the sheer number of characters introduced made it difficult to keep track of names and connections.  Many of those characters were non-critical to the plot and unfortunately, a lot of them were named Bob.  The book had an interesting feel of retro-reporting/sleuthing combined with an ultra-contemporary setting that referenced current sports figures, the recession, and President Obama.  Mystery fans could probably pass on this book, but since it is filled with sports facts and play-by-play football game scenes, it is a good selection for the young, sports fanatic.  Overall  Rating:   3.5 out of 5 stars.

Content Review:

VIOLENCE: one mild instance

PROFANITY:  a few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  two mild instances

MATURE THEMES:  a few moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE:   12+

Violence consists of a character being accidentally hit by a football player when a play goes out of bounds resulting in a minor injury to the character.

Mild religious profanities were noted seven times.  While not technically profanity, one coarse term was used.

Sexual content is extremely mild.  It consists of a girl greeting her boyfriend with a hug and a kiss and later the same characters kiss once.

Mature themes referenced are gays in athletics and racism against African Americans.  Although both are mentioned, they are addressed quite mildly.  The first involves a three to four sentence dialogue exchange between characters indicating that there is probably more bias in the locker room against gays than against African-Americans.  The second theme, racism, is briefly mentioned in context of some people not being happy about the election of an African-American President and how there is sometimes racism and/or racist remarks during football games. 

The Rivalry:  Mystery at the Army-Navy Game is a Clean Read for ages 12+.

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by  Knopf Books for Young Readers for a review.

A Sound Among the Trees
by Susan Meissner

Publisher’s Note: As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy for the North, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, doesn’t believe that Susannah’s ghost haunts the antebellum mansion looking for a pardon, but rather the house itself bears a grudge toward its tragic past.

When Marielle Bishop marries into the family and is transplanted from the arid west to her husband’s home, it isn’t long before she is led to believe that the house she just settled into brings misfortune to the women who live there.

With Adelaide’s richly peppered superstitions and deep family roots at stake, Marielle must sort out the truth about Susannah Page and Holly Oak— and make peace with the sacrifices she has made for love. 

Overall Review: It is so difficult to begin new life with someone.  If you add to that that the someone you just married is a widower with children, then it gets even more complicated.  To add to that mix, you’ll be living in the house where the new husband’s first wife grew up…and with her grandmother who raised her!  AND, there seems to be something wrong with the house itself!  Does the house really bear a grudge against the family? Is it haunted? Or is there something else going on?  It is most definitely time to find out and to fix it!  These families need to move on!

While the ‘contemporary’ section was good (the story was interesting and the characters fairly engaging) the historical section (written entirely in letter form) was FANTASTIC!!  Once again, Ms. Meissner proves her prowess at historical fiction!  The characters were marvelous, the descriptions and details were perfect…I loved it!  It amazed me how both sections were completely different!  There was a totally different feel between the family living in the ‘present’, and the people during the Civil War time period.  The way she portrays the hardships of the war, of helping people, and the acts of unselfishness and love, were just beautiful!  If you are an historical fiction buff, or enjoy reading about the U.S. Civil War (with, of course, a little romance thrown in for good measure), then A Sound Among the Trees could be your cup of tea!  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 Stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: A few Mild and some Moderate instances

VIOLENCE: A few Mild instances and one Moderate instance

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few Mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Moderate

AGE RECOMMENDATION: 18+

There were a few mild instances of profanity (seven noted; mostly religious in nature) along with some more Moderate exclamations (17 were counted altogether).

The violence mostly centers around the historical section of the book, as it takes place during the civil war.  The Moderate instance occurs during a terrible battle in Fredericksburg, VA, where the entire town is leveled and the narrator describes the feelings and sounds and mentions seeing copious amounts of blood in the streets and lamenting the life lost.  There are also more mild instances, such as when stories of the war are told, and also when characters show up gravely injured or in prison.

The sexual content is mild.  There is one mention of a newly married couple needing privacy (more so than being in the room next to another family member), and one instance where a character mentions that after sex with her new husband, she wonders what he is thinking.

The Mature Themes are mostly all moderate.  There is the hardship of meshing two separate families together (with new marriages, etc.), loss of family members (death and leaving), supernatural occurrences and beliefs (there is a spiritual ‘medium’ involved), superstition, paranoia, secrets, mental illness, and war.  Other themes also include forgiveness, resilience, and courage.

A Sound Among the Trees is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 18+!

Shades of Gray
by Rachel Ann Nunes

Publisher’s Note: Why would a contented family man suddenly vanish without a trace? Though the police believe Dennis Briggs left voluntarily, his wife is convinced something sinister has happened and turns to Autumn Rain for help. Autumn has the extraordinary ability to receive impressions from objects that have special meaning to their owners, but what she discovers about the victim only leads to more questions. Autumn is equally confused by her conflicting feelings for a handsome new detective and the supportive boyfriend she has always depended on. But Autumn s investigation takes on new urgency when Dennis's young son also disappears, presumably kidnapped from the backyard of the family s home. Shades of Gray is a fast-paced, romantic suspense novel with a paranormal twist. The third book in a series of stand-alone novels featuring Autumn Rain.

Overall Review:  Autumn Rain never wears shoes, owns an Antiques store, only eats organic food and was raised by hippies.  She can also sense deep feelings and situations from the memories that are imprinted on inanimate objects.  She is most definitely one of the most unique heroines I’ve read in a long while!  It’s a shame that this is my first ‘Autumn Rain’ novel. This book being the third of a series, there were many allusions to other adventures and happenings.  It still did quite well as a stand-alone book; I never felt confused at the plot or storyline, and I felt that there were enough descriptions of the characters that I ‘knew’ them.  I did feel left out sometimes, but it wasn’t terribly disturbing.

The characters were engaging.  Autumn was constantly at odds with Detective Martin, but I really liked him!  I think he was my favorite character.  He cared without being cheesy or obsessive about it.  Autumn’s boyfriend, Jake, was not a prominent character in this installment.  I’m guessing he was probably a key character in the first two, but in this one, he made some appearances, but was mostly in the sidelines.  Perhaps that’s why I felt much more of an attachment to Shannon Martin.  The love triangle made the whole story that much more intriguing.

Shades of Gray is quite fast-paced and easy to read!  It’s light, fun and full of action and drama.  This is a perfect book for those long winter evenings, curled up by the fire with a hot cup of cocoa!  Overall rating is 4 out of 5 Stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: None

VIOLENCE: Mild to Moderate throughout

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few very mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There is absolutely no profanity whatsoever.

This is a murder mystery/thriller genre, so there is quite a bit of violence, but it is very muted.  There are a number of fights—most of them include a main character doing some roundhouse kicks and boxing stances and meditating on their next move.  A character is attacked by a man with a knife (but she roundhouse-kicks him a few times and it’s ok).  There are a few shoot outs—some between the bad guys and the police, some between the bad guys and other random citizens.  The bad guys dress up a cadaver to make it look like they murdered a little boy.  There are many kidnappings (a little boy is taking right out of his backyard, and his mother is hit as she tries to take him back; a man is taken into a van and beaten; a man is taken and tortured for information, etc.).  A character has imprints of people’s memories, and she sees murders, fear, and abuse.  There is all of this, but it is necessary to the plot and lacks the shock value and gore.

Some characters kiss a few times.  There is a love triangle that involves a lot of confused feelings.

The mature themes are mostly mild and center around lying, deceit, murder, and organized crime.

Shades of Gray is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+!

The Undrowned Child
by Michelle Lovric

Publisher’s Note: Teodora has always longed to visit Venice, and at last she has her chance. But strange and sinister things are afoot in the beautiful floating city. Teo is quickly subsumed into a secret world in which salty-tongued mermaids run subversive printing presses, ghosts good and bad patrol the streets, statues speak, rats read, and librarians fluidly turn into cats. And where a book, The Key to the Secret City, leads Teo straight into the heart of the danger that threatens to destroy the city to which she feels she belongs. An ancient proverb seems to unite Teo with a Venetian boy, Renzo, and with the Traitor who has returned from the dark past to wreak revenge. . . . But who is the Undrowned Child destined to save Venice?

Overall Review:  What a lovely, exciting and thorough story!  By the time I finished this book, I felt like it could be possible for me to walk through Venice and name every building I saw!  I loved the history; I loved the descriptions; I loved the fast pace and the excitement and the mystery!  I even loved the fact that after the story was finished, there was an entire section on what was true in the story (people and events) and a section about the buildings and places mentioned!  Some wonderful, and very eye-opening facts on Venice!

The characters are so much fun!  Teo is a wonderfully flawed little girl—she’s normal, yet just a little bit different than everyone else.  She can see everyone’s words above their heads, and feel their hearts!  Renzo is a snot.  He’s snobby and looks down on everyone (unless you’re a Venetian). He does improve, though, and you can’t help but like the guy!  I LOVED the mermaids!  They were so funny and full of life!  They are referred to as ‘salty’, and salty they are!  They’re not afraid to tell you what’s on their minds and they’ll do it in way that makes you laugh…even though you know they’re probably insulting you!  There’s also the other side to the war over Venice: the villains!  And they are scary!  Bajamonte Tiepolo is the infamous traitor (true story!!) whose spirit has come back to life (not true!!) and he is pure evil as he strives to gather his army, find his bones, resurrect his body, and take all of Venice for his own!  The Butcher Biasio is as evil as they come—slaughtering children and serving them in stew (true story!!!!)—and he’s back as well (not true—thank goodness!) as Tiepolo’s vile head henchman! 

The Undrowned Child is an intense tale of good versus evil with many elements of Inkheart, Neverending Story, and even Harry Potter throughout.  The writing is lovely, lyrical, and perhaps one could go so far as to say epic!  It is a very satisfying novel with just enough left undone to hint at a sequel!  And if there is a sequel in the future, I, for one, can’t wait to read it!  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: A few Mild and a few Moderate instances

VIOLENCE: Moderate throughout

SEXUAL CONTENT: None

MATURE THEMES: Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There are two mild instances and 5 Moderate instances of profanity.  The Mermaids learned to speak by listening to sailors—and while they don’t curse or swear, they do enjoy flinging insults at people they don’t like and calling people names.

There is a great deal of violence.  The entire premise of the book is saving Venice from an evil ghost.  The bad ghosts are sometimes very frightening!  There are giant killer seagulls that don’t hesitate to attack, kill and eat people and animals; statues that come to life sometimes with blood dripping from their mouths (which are really leeches); Vampire Eels (with descriptions of them killing creatures and sucking their blood); the eels battle with mermaids where many are killed on both sides—a very bloody battle; sharks that attack viciously; a huge unknown creature whose tentacles are mistaken for poles to tie up gondolas—they try to strangle some characters and the tentacles are found full of skin-burning acid carrying the bubonic plague; millipede/cockroach insects that attack en masse and bite; a huge evil bat creature that carries people off; a butcher ghost that is completely decapitated and likes to kill and eat children (the encounters with him are many and very scary); many ghosts are in pieces and have remnants of their last punishments (burning eyes, slicing their hands with knives, etc.); an evil skeleton tries to come to life…  There is one character in particular who is very violent and full of hate.  His death is described in detail, and as he comes slowly back to life, his visual descriptions are disturbing (think ‘Voldemort’ from Harry Potter).  He has no problem killing, casting violent spells, torturing, and horribly using anyone willing to follow him.  There is a great deal of description of all violent deeds with a lot of blood and feeling involved. Many characters die during a war that is very intense.  Instruments of torture end up on display in the town. They are described in detail and at one point, are almost put to use.  There are many scary images, descriptions and encounters.

The Mature Themes are mostly all Moderate.  They include ghosts and the supernatural, Magic, casting spells and evil curses, overwhelming hate and desire for revenge, fear, prejudice, and war.  Some other more mild themes include discovering who you are within a family/friendship and mystery.

The Undrowned Child is recommended for ages 16+.

The Girl Behind the Glass
by Jane Kelley

Publisher’s Note: The house on Hemlock Road used to be someone's home. Until something happened. Something that even after 80 years, can never be forgotten or forgiven . . . .

Eleven-year-old twins Hannah and Anna agree about everything—especially that they don't want to move to the creepy old house on Hemlock Road. But as soon as they move into the house, the twins start disagreeing for the first time in their lives. In fact, it's almost as though something or someone is trying to drive them apart. While Anna settles in, Hannah can't ignore the strange things that keep happening on Hemlock Road. Why does she sense things that no one else in the family does?  Like when the hemlock branch outside waves shush, shush. Or at night, if she listens hard enough, it's almost as though someone is trying to talk to her. Someone no one else can hear. Someone angry enough to want revenge. Hannah, are you listening? Is the house haunted? Is Hannah crazy? Or does something in the house want her as a best friend—forever?

Overall Review:  How scary it must be to live in a haunted house.  Hannah and her twin sister Anna (and their family) have moved into a house that is purported to be haunted by a ghost with green eyes.  But ghosts aren’t real, right?  But what if the house you live in seems to have random gusts of wind…inside? And a tree branch (just one) that waves at you? And what if the longer you live there, the more you start to feel anger and hatred and suspicion of everyone around you?  And is that a voice I hear?  Why is the ghost still there, and what does she want everyone (especially Hannah) to know?

The point of view of this story is so interesting.  It is all told from the eyes of the ghost who haunts the house.  How often do we get the ghosts’ side of the story?  The tone is dark and foreboding, and while it gives you chills and makes you want to turn up the lights, it also keeps your attention and is difficult to put down!  The Girl Behind the Glass is not only a great ghost story for a younger audience, it is also full of the importance of family—especially sisters!—and of understanding and forgiveness.  Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: None

VIOLENCE: Mild throughout

SEXUAL CONTENT: Two very mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 14+

There was one crude reference to a girl’s large behind, but there was no profanity.

There is some mild violence.  The narrator is a ghost and alludes often to her murder (death) and that of small creatures.  A character almost drowns in a swamp.  A character is hit over the head by a somewhat crazy person and drowns in a pond.  Bats fly around and seem to attack people (they really don’t).  A character dies of a heart attack after seeing something scary in a window.

There were two instances where two teenagers kiss—once in a car and once in a bedroom.  The descriptions were things like they stayed inside the car “doing things that teenagers did in dark cars”, and the bed creaking while in the bedroom.

The themes were more moderate as it dealt with ghosts and the supernatural, death and murder, overwhelming hate and anger, mean thoughts/feelings, bullying, feeling left out, sisters, friendship, and ultimately forgiveness. The parents of one character consider taking her to a psychiatrist because she can hear ghosts.  A character tries to have a séance.  The overall tone is very tense and maintains a chillingly spooky ambiance, but it is well done and stays clean!

The Girl Behind the Glass is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 14+!

Here Lies Linc
by Delia Rey

Publisher's Note:  When 12-year-old Linc Crenshaw decides he wants to go to public school, his professor mom isn't so happy with the idea. He's convinced it will be the ticket to a new social life. Instead, it's a disaster when his mom shows up at their field trip to the local cemetery to lecture them on gravestones, and Linc sees her through his fellow-students' eyes. He's convinced his chances at a social life are over until a cemetery-related project makes him sought-after by fellow students he's not so sure he wants as friends, helps him make a new, genuine friend, and brings to light some information about his family that upends his world.

Overall Review:  From the title, and even the cover art, of this book, I admit that I was expecting something in the way of a silly spooky teen story to get you ready for Halloween.  Wasn’t I surprised to find, instead of a supernatural fantasy, a wonderful story based on a true account!  Here Lies Linc has a contemporary and engaging plot, full of finding connections with yourself and your past.

Linc (Lincoln) learns so many things as he struggles to find himself.  He’s in a new school and has a strange mother.  He doesn’t know where he belongs.  I have to admit that through much of the book, I didn’t like Linc.  He had no backbone and seemed to have no qualms with lying, stealing, and pretending to be someone he wasn’t.  However, he did improve and learn!  It did make me think of the fact that many of us, at one time or another, feel like we want to ‘fit in’ and do some pretty dumb things to do it.  Luckily, Linc’s mistakes take him down a very interesting path of discovery—both of the past and of his future.  He makes some wonderful friendships with very unlikely people (especially his cute old neighbor, Mr. Krasny, whom I loved) and discovers the joy of searching through the past and making lasting connections with his community.

Learning about the Black Angel monument in the Iowa City, Oakland Cemetery was so interesting, especially because it was true!  We have the opportunity to follow Linc as he works to disprove the ‘curse’ of the Black Angel and uncover the true identity of the woman who commissioned the monument and why she did it.  I loved reading the epitaphs at the beginning of each chapter, and they become even more fun as I discovered that they are real epitaphs from actual headstones!  There were funny ones, sad ones, and many famous ones.  It made me wonder what I would write on mine…  More than anything, though, I loved seeing the joy that came to so many people as they searched through the past to uncover the truth!

This novel takes place around a cemetery, but it never gets creepy. Instead, it makes you want to go to a cemetery and wander around, just to see what stories you may find!  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 Stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: One mild instance

VIOLENCE: A few very mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: One very mild instance

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 12+

There is one mild exclamation of profanity (a character is thankful about something).

The few very mild instances of violence include a short description of a movie some characters are watching (a horror movie for Halloween—included zombies and a ‘jump’ scene), a story about a cursed statue (some characters become ‘cursed’ after defacing a ‘cursed’ statue and lose arms/fingers), and some mean pictures/remarks about another person (bullying).  There is also a very cranky character who seems to take joy in the misery of others and has to have total control.  Some characters are trapped in a burial vault for a short time.

The only instance of any sexual content is when one character mentions she discovered she was pregnant after her boyfriend left town.  It is a necessary part of the story, as there was some adoption/lost family involved.  This specific information is told in just the manner I just did (matter-of-fact, and in one sentence).

The mature themes are mild and include overcoming grief, trying to fit in at a new school (bullying, being embarrassed of a parent or old classmates, lying or stealing in order to ‘fit in’, etc.), and communicating with family and friends.  There is one character who is caught drunk. 

Here Lies Linc is recommended as a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 12+!

Powerless
by Matthew Cody

Publisher's Note:  Twelve-year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, soon learns the truth about his nice—but odd—new friends: one can fly, another can turn invisible, yet another controls electricity. Incredible. The superkids use their powers to secretly do good in the town, but they’re haunted by the fact that the moment they turn thirteen, their abilities will disappear—along with any memory that they ever had them. Is a memory-stealing supervillain sapping their powers?

The answers lie in a long-ago meteor strike, a World War II–era comic book (Fantastic Futures, starring the first superhero, Johnny Noble), the green-flamed Witch Fire, a hidden Shroud cave, and—possibly, unbelievably—“powerless” regular-kid Daniel himself.

Superhero kids meet comic book mystery in this action-filled debut about the true meaning of a hero.


Overall Review:  Refreshingly, Powerless is a superhero story about a truly ordinary hero.  In this solidly-crafted story, the reader follows twelve year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, as he discovers that some of the kids in Noble Green, Pennsylvania may have the powers of superheroes, but they are powerless to hold onto those abilities after their thirteenth birthday.  Distinct characters with believable dialogue move the story forward while quietly touching on the various ways people feel powerless.  Our current culture is awash with portrayals of superheroes in movies and literature, but Powerless takes a fresh angle on that storyline.   The plot takes unforeseen twists before being deftly wrapped-up by the author, who simultaneously sets the stage for future storyline possibilities.  This book reminds us that we are never truly powerless and that real heroes are defined by their choices.  Excellent!  Overall  Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  a few mild instances

PROFANITY:  one mild

SEXUAL CONTENT:  none

MATURE THEMES:  none

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP:  9+

The violence consists of non-graphic fights and battles amongst superheroes usually involving throwing, pushing, collisions, and such.  Only one mild profanity was noted.  This is a Squeaky Clean Read for Ages 9+! 

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer