A Hasty Opinion

Ok, so I may have judged the 2011 Rebecca Caudills a little too soon, and too harshly. I have found quite a few in this batch that I like. I've already mentioned The Hunger Games and Schooled. Jordan Sonnenblick's Notes from the Midnight Driver and Mass's 11 Birthdays are definitely worth a look. Carl Hiaasen's Scat and Ingrid Law's Savvy will really appeal to kids. I would have LOVED a book like Savvy when I was 11 or so. It kind of reminds me of David Lubar's Hidden Talents.

I have now finished the whole list, and while I feel like there are more stinkers on this one than in previous years (Fablehaven! So promising, yet such a disappointment! And the writing was truly bad in The Alchemyst) I shouldn't have despaired.