Weird Stuff by Shane Nagle

For Brian Hobble, who doesn't believe in ghosts, weirder things couldn't be happening to this average, awkward high school boy. From his game winning goal while playing on the school soccer team to his flowery, love story that he writes out of nowhere in English class, things are starting to get WEIRD in a big way. Throw in Brian's favorite author-turned teacher, Brian's dreamy crush, Cassandra, and an EasyFlow pen and you have all the makings of a book that is sure to entertain. I found this short novel to be a comical, enjoyable read that I recommend for all teens.

So You Want to Be A Wizard by Diane Duane

Nita Callahan doesn't go into her favorite “hiding place”, the library, looking for a book. She ducks into the safe confines of the building looking for a place to escape her nemesis, Joanne, who is definitely looking to pummel her. As Nita enters the library she finds herself directed by the weekend librarian to the children's section of the library. Not only is it a place of immediate refuge for Nita, but a familiar place where she has spent many safe days wrapped up in the warmth of books and her childhood. Nita is not looking for a book, yet strangely, a book seems to be looking for her. The book is entitled, “How to Be A Wizard”. As the wizard's manual finds its way into Nita's hands and her curiosity takes over, her world is destined to change. Change in ways so colossal that it makes escaping from Joanne and her cronies seem like mere child's play.

Diane Duane's vivid descriptions of the sights, smells, sounds, and most importantly, emotions of the characters are brilliant. The plot is compelling, full of adventure, exciting battles, and “by-the-skin-of your-teeth” resolutions. I recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and science fiction.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Chloe Armstrong deals with all the normal problems of any high school student. She stresses out about her Spanish test, going to the dance, and trying to find the best way to talk to “Nate”, her fast approaching crush. Oh, and she also sees dead people. When other people, mainly adults, find out that Chloe can see ghosts, she gets a one-way ticket to an extended stay in a group home for troubled teens. Convinced that she can expedite her departure from the prison where she surely doesn't belong, Chloe goes through the motions of “getting better” and tries to stay detached from the other teens in the home. What she doesn't realize is that she may have more in common with the other residents than she knows.

While this novel was slightly reminiscent of the movie, The Sixth Sense , I found a few unexpected twists and turns as the plot unfolded. I recommend this book to teens of all ages, but caution parents to note that some of the images in this read can be a little spooky for kids who are bothered by the Hollywood idea of undead or ghosts.

Switch by Carol Snow

A house on the beach, hanging out with her best friend watching the super cute life guard, Nate, freedom to come and go as she pleases are all ingredients for an idyllic life for Claire Martin. All seems to be fine for Claire in the days, but when the full moon beams at night and lightening strikes, Claire leaves her body and enters the body of another person. When she switches with the other person, she is not sure where their soul goes, but after a night of confusion she finds herself back in her own body in the morning. So becomes Claire's life, until one night she switches into a body that won't seem to let go and she finds herself living day after day as someone else. The big mystery becomes, will she ever find her way back to her own life and her own body. And even more compelling, does she really want to?

I recommend this book for teens of all ages. While the plot was a little different, in the end it had some great themes of self-esteem, loving the life you've been given, and knowing that family ties are the most important of all.

Magic or Not by Edward Eager

Excited for adventure twins, Laura and James, anticipate moving to a new house in Connecticut with their parents and younger sister. When they arrive at their new home, they find that there might be more than just a little adventure connected with the old wishing well in the front yard and with the surrounding community. The twins make friends quickly with two neighbors, Lydia and Kip, who not only know the lay of the land, but are as anxious for adventure and friendship as the twins. With little sister, Deborah, making a group of five sleuths, the children set off to test the magic of the wishing well, help a nice old lady in a battle for her home, and possibly solve a mystery.

I liked this book and its companion, Half Magic, written by the same author because they are clean, timeless, and reminiscent of a world, long gone; definitely the type of books I grew up reading. I recommend these books to younger teens, as the characters are a little younger than the books that are usually considered “young adult”.