Marcelo in the Real World

by FRANCISCO X. STORK

Marcelo Sandoval doesn't think like most people.  He struggles in social situations and can't always read the emotions and motivations of others.  Marcelo has a mild version of autism called Asperger's Syndrome, and although he is an extremely bright and knowledgeable 17 year-old, he just can't function well by himself and has always gone to a special school called Paterson.  There, Marcelo works with the school's ponies, a job he loves.  In fact, he has plans to work all summer with the horses, before his senior year begins.  Unfortunately, Marcelo's father, a high-powered attorney in his own law firm, has other ideas.  He wants Marcelo to work in a place where he will be challenged to learn new skills.  He wants him to work in "the real world," in his law firm's mail room for the summer.  The deal is that if Marcelo is successful in the mail room, he can choose where he wants to go to school for his senior year, instead of going to the local public high school where his father wants him to go.

       

          The person in charge of the mail room is Jasmine, a girl not much older than Marcelo.  She is not happy that Marcelo has been assigned to her, but soon grows to understand and even love Marcelo.  Marcelo is pure of heart, and has had little contact with evil in the world.  If there's anyplace where one can learn fast about evil, it's in a law office.  Marcelo hasn't been there long before he is confronted with mean people, evil situations, and moral challenges.  Jasmine helps him navigate these new waters as much as she can, but Marcelo has to meet many of these challenges on his own.  He has difficult choices to make that could ultimately hurt his father, the law firm, and even himself, but he finally makes the right decisions with admirable courage.  Marcelo in the Real World is a wonderful coming of age story with a unique hero it's impossible not to admire.  This book is on the 2010-2011 Tayshas list.

                  ~reviewed by Mrs. Sams

The London Eye Mystery

by Siobhan Dowd

The London Eye is one of the most recognizable landmarks of London. Perched on the edge of the Thames, it is an enormous Ferris wheel-looking thing, only not, because you can't see the wheel turning. It goes so slowly, it takes 30 minutes for the wheel to to make one complete revolution, and on a clear day, those who ride can see all over London. Ted, the narrator of this book, and Kat, his not-always friendly sister, take their cousin Salim to ride the Eye, when he makes a visit to London. Since a strange man offered them a free ticket, and Kat and Ted had already ridden the Eye before, they decided to let Salim ride by himself, while they waited for him below. Keeping their eye on the capsule Salim had entered, they waited for 30 minutes till it came back around. And when it did, Salim did not emerge from the capsule. Ted and Kat waited for the next capsules, then started frantically searching all around the area, but Salim had disappeared. The next day the police are called in, and soon Salim's parents decide to make an appeal on TV. All the while Ted and Kat are doing their own investigation and coming up with their own sometimes hilarious theories. Ted, our narrator, has Asperger's Syndrome, which means his brain works a little differently than most people's. It also means he is very literal, which leads to some pretty funny explanations on his part. But it also means that he is very helpful in the investigation, because he looks at the situation from a very unique perspective. While doing their best to find Salim, Kat and Ted become better friends, and both of them do some growing up. The London Eye Mystery is a serious story, because Salim could really be in danger, but Ted's funny commentary, keeps the story light. A fun, quick read, and on this year's Texas Lone Star list. ~reviewed by Dail Sams