Fake Mustache: or, how Jodie O'Rodeo and her wonder horse (and some nerdy kid) saved the U.S. Presidential Election from a mad genius criminal mastermind, by Tom Angleberger

For fans of Angleberger's Oragami Yoda, don't fear. The man has delivered yet another wonderful story full of excitement, twists, a dash of love and a whole lot of silly. Lenny Flem Jr. doesn't think much of his friend, Casper Bengue's, sudden decision to blow his birthday money on a tailor made suit and the very best of fake mustaches, the Heidelberg Handlebar Number Seven, until banks begin to be robbed by a small man with an identical mustache and suit.

If you're thinking it's a coincidence, it is not, but for some reason Lenny is the only one that can see past the disguise. When Casper continues to rob one bank after another, Lenny first confronts him about being the culprit, but after Casper denies all of the accusations, Lenny feels that it is his duty to turn him into the police. Here's the kicker: they call him the liar and consider punishing him for costing the police department so much time and money looking into the possibility of Casper being the robber.

Lenny finds out that the mustache not only acts as a disguise, but the facial hair was unwillingly cut from a man with a criminal past of his own. It seems his power lives on in the 'stache and Casper is using this power to brainwash everyone from school librarians to football players into helping him follow through with his crimes and commit his ultimate plot: becoming president of the United States and eventually taking over the world.

Lenny knows that he has to put an end to the madness, but is stuck until he acquires the help of Jodie O'Rodeo, a waning TV show cowgirl, with killer equestrian skills and a crush on the one and only Lenny. The duo are faced with difficult obstacles since the whole town is brainwashed, but are triumphant in the end.

This was one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a while. The story-line was interesting, but there was a good deal of humor that will draw laughs from boys and girls alike.

The Great Unexpected, by Sharon Creech

Everything is connected it seems. This is especially true in Creech’s new novel, The Great Unexpected. Orphans, Naomi and Lizzie usually have trouble finding things to occupy their time in the town of Blackbird Tree. These  days are long gone, though, when they come across the body of a dead boy. Shortly after discovering the boy, things take a turn for the unexpected when he sits up and talks to them. After the two girls chase down their breath they find out that his name is Finn and he is staying with a family up the road. The three part ways, but Naomi can’t part with the questions she has for Finn and the fact that she instantly smitten with him, dead or not.

Through a series of unbelievable and fantastical events, including run-ins with the Dingle-Dangle man, a winding bridge, and a couple of rooks (blackbirds), the two girls discover the history of the family they lost at such a young age and a connection to a town in the faraway land of Ireland that they never would have imagined.

This story is so unexpected in some parts that it is hard to follow, as if additional elements were added as glue to a disjointed storyline, but they didn’t stick. While I will always adore Creech’s free-feel writing style, I felt that this story could have used some fine-tuning.

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Middle School: Get Me Out of Here, by James Patterson

Rafe is on to new adventures and a new town! After a fireball takes out the diner that Rafe's mom works at, he and his family are forced to move to the city and live with his Grandmother. It's not his Grandmother isn't a great person, but she has too much stuff and not enough space for it, so the addition of Rafe, his sister Georgia and his Mom make it beyond cramped.

A new town mean a new school. Rafe is caught off guard when his Mom takes him for an interview at Cathedral School of Arts, but he is even more surprised when he is actually accepted. Leo, Rafe's imaginary friend, helps Rafe get through and come up with "Operation Get a Life" which consists of doing things in the city that he has never done before.

Rafe is glad to meet not imaginary friend, Matty, who is brimming with all sorts of ideas for having fun in the city. The only problem is that some of the ideas lead to them getting in trouble.

Rafe happens upon an old picture of his Mom and his Dad, who left when he was four, and he and Matty go on a mission to find out more about the man, Harry, that own the diner that is in the background of the picture.

Following one bad run-in too many at school, Rafe finally makes a break for it and returns to his home town of Hills Village. His first stop is Jeanne's house; who is the girl of his dreams. Jeanne's Mom calls Rafe's Mom to let her know he is okay and she makes her way down to pick him up.

SPOILER ALERT: Rafe's Mom finds a job in the new diner that opened after the old one burned down and takes Rafe to the grave of his Dad who she found out from Harry, who happens to be his Dad's Uncle, that he was a soldier and was killed in the war.

This book offers some closure in Rafe's story and hits home for anyone that has ever struggled with moving schools, finding new friends, trying to stay out of trouble, and dealing with the unknown of one's own family. Patterson's mix of pictures with text is, as always, effective, fun and makes for a fast and enjoyable read.

Ghost Knight, by Cornelia Funke

Harry Potter made boarding schools cool to everyone. Everyone, that is, but Jon Whitcroft, who is far from happy when his mother sends him away. Jon is already unhappy about his mother's new boyfriend, "the beard" as he calls him, and this is just the cherry on top of a horrible life.

Not long after his arrival, Jon starts seeing things. Ghosts, in fact. Now, we're not talking about sweet cuddly ghosts like Casper. No. These ghosts are out for blood to revenge the blood that they lost centuries before.

Thankfully, Jon also quickly finds a friend in a pretty girl with long locks named Ella. She also has a penchant for the scary, so the two begin their quest to uncover how these spirits met such untimely deaths while trying to juggle school. Longspee, an ancient knight, is summoned by Jon for protection, but questions arise as to whether or not he is there to protect the duo or bring them to an early end as well.

In the end, his mother's offer for him to return home and her decision to not marry the beard are met with a response very different from the one Jon would have given before arriving at boarding school. After finding new places and friends, both of this world and not, and having had a ghostly run-in with "the beard," Jon's opinion has changed and the decision is made to stay. Even if he still isn't a Potter fan.

This ghost tale will be liked by guys and gals alike as they are propelled from one chapter to the next in this spooky mystery. 

Imagine, by Jonah Lehrer

It seems impossible to quantify or qualify what creativity is exactly, but Lehrer has taken a stab at this elusive aspect of the mind in Imagine. There are seemingly infinite approaches to improving creativity, the sources of creativity and the personality type that lines up most exactly with an overabundant imagination.

Lehrer discusses why the shower is a popular place for epiphanies, the reason that Google's bathrooms are in the middle of the building and why naivety of a certain field of thought can actually lead to more breakthroughs. I was especially intrigued by the discussion of multiple creative companies always having inexperience individuals in the mix to amp up the creative flow and the fact that the more ideas are shared, no matter if it was during Shakespeare's time or Steve Jobs, is crucial to the blossom of breakthroughs.

So, if you have ever wondered why Pixar only has hits, why you should dive into areas you are completely unfamiliar with, and whether or not it is a coincidence that creative geniuses are often also manic depressives, eccentric, and recluses at times this is the book you have been looking for. While this could have been a bland discussion, Lehrer's conversational approach and logical flow from one point to the next in the complex area make this a must read.