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1985

Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (Greenwillow, $13.56, seventh-grade level). ISBN: 0688025935.	The Medalist In the prequel to The Blue Sword, a feisty princess experiences high adventure while trying to recapture her crown. I am a huge fan of fantasy novels but I have the hardest time reading this book. That seems to run against the grain of its fans, who worship it, mainly because of princess Aerin. She is a positive and powerful role model for girls. The characters are well-crafted and the dialogue has a bit of a bite. Maybe your readers will do better than me.
Like Jake and Me by Mavis Jukes (Econo-Clad, $15.70, fourth-grade level). ISBN: 0833517538.	Honor Book A boy shows courage when his tough, cowboy grandpa is afraid of a spider. This is more a picture book than a novel. It's cute, though, and contains a positive message about relationships across the generations.
The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks (HarperCollins, $15.89, sixth-grade level). ISBN: 0060206985.	Honor Book An odd friendship develops between a multitalented black boy and his deeply troubled white friend. This is an outstanding book. The sports sequences are excellent. The characterizations and emotions displayed are deeply thought out and well-executed. The sections on race relations are painfully truthful yet exhibit no rancor.
One-Eyed Cat by Paula Fox (Simon & Schuster, $11.96, seventh-grade level)). ISBN: 0027355403.	Honor Book A boy with an ailing mother gets depressed when he thinks he betrayed his parents by shooting the eye out of a cat, using a BB gun. The story is set in the Great Depression but the focus isn't on the history of the times. It's more about emotions and actions, in particular truth, faith, lying, death, responsibility and trust. Fox has given the text and content an intense literary content, which may make it too deep for anyone younger than sixth-grade.

 Copyright David Ross 2003