Flying

May 2, 2016
With nods to numerous science fiction and fantasy works (including Dr. Who, Heroes, and World of Warcraft), this series opener from Jones (the Need series) is complex and nuanced while maintaining a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek vibe. Mana is a cheerleader—a flyer, to be exact—who excels at tumbling and loves what she does. She’s tiny, part Native Hawaiian, and protected on all sides by friends and family. When her mother goes missing and her crush starts spitting green acid, Mana has to figure out who to trust—quickly. Partnering with her best friend, Lyle, and an associate of her mother’s, Mana tries to come to terms with the existence of aliens, not all of whom want to share the Earth, while dealing with her burgeoning feelings for Lyle. Mana’s personal growth takes center stage as she learns to rely on herself during shootings, burglaries, and the development of mysterious new powers. Frequent twists and plentiful action keep the story moving briskly with only a few instances where disbelief needs to be suspended. Ages 13–up. Agent: Edward Necarsulmer IV, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.

May 1, 2016
A bubbly, affectionate cheerleader must rescue her mother from an out-of-this-world danger.High school junior Mana isn't a good student, but she loves and is loved by her white mom and Hawaiian dad. In her mostly white New Hampshire town, Mana and her two besties quip between enthusiastic cheerleading routines. But in a bizarre kidnapping attempt, Mana's crush, Dakota, is revealed as a vicious alien who spits green acid, flaps a long, froglike tongue, and spouts casual racism. Mana and Dakota scuffle at halftime, Mana avoiding blasts of acid by employing gymnastics moves she just knows are far beyond her normal capabilities, until a mysterious secret agent in sunglasses saves the day. Back at home, Mana's mother has vanished, their house has been ransacked, and Mana is attacked by a gray-skinned, web-footed murder monster (which, in an unfortunate bit of cultural appropriation, is called a Windigo, after the "old Algonquin story"). Mana, along with Sunglasses Guy and her two cheerleader BFFs (a dark-skinned girl and a light-skinned boy), has to save her mother, evade shape-shifters, and keep a dangerous bit of tech from the men in black. The constant bickering and banter between the four sputters erratically, occasionally stalling the pace of otherwise cinematic escapes and feats of gymnastic tumbling, but the comic tone does not falter.Funny and fast-moving, with a compelling setup for potential sequels. (Science fiction. 12-16)

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May 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-Mana loves her quiet life. She loves that her mother babies her. She loves that her two best friends, Seppie and Lyle, constantly support her, both on the cheerleading mat and off of it. Although, lately things have been a little confusing with Lyle. And then there's Dakota, the cute percussionist in the school band. Mana is looking forward to seeing Dakota at the basketball game, until he begins spitting green acid out of his mouth and trying to kill her. Without realizing what's happening, the heroine begins to activate some superhuman gymnastic fight moves. Before the night is over, she learns that aliens are real, they have ransacked her house, and her mother is missing. The aliens are hunting for something, and everyone seems to think that Mana has whatever it is that they're after. Who can she trust? And will she find her mother before it's too late? A witty and self-aware heroine carries this entertaining adventure story. Breezy banter and a few well-placed one-liners are sure to incite smiles. The novel's greatest strength is its relatability. Everyone has envied someone with a mother like Mana's or has pitied someone with a mother like Lyle's. The protagonist's conflicted feelings about her crush will be instantly familiar to readers who have ever developed unexpected feelings for a friend. Frequent sexual euphemisms make this a better choice for older teens.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2016
Grades 8-11 After dabbling with pixies in her best-selling Needs series and flirting with horror in After Obsession (2011), Jones returns to the YA scene with a humorous sci-fi romp that pits a spunky cheerleader against (what else?) aliens. Seventeen-year-old Mana is a petite, biracial, penguin-loving flyera cheerleader who gets lifted and tossed by her squad. At a basketball game, Mana's doing her best to focus on her tumbling passesnot on hunky Dakota's amazing forearms or on her confused feelings for her best friend Lylewhen a man in the crowd drags off Dakota. Mana follows them to the locker room, where she discovers (a) Dakota is actually an acid-spitting alien; (b) she has superhuman abilities; and (c) China (the mystery man) is an alien-hunter. What's more, Mana's mom is China's partner, and she is missing. With an obvious wink at Men in Black, Jones delivers a campy, action-packed story that balances its many laughs with tenderness, during which Mana comes into her own while trying to rescue her mother and save the world. No biggie. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Something new from best-selling author Jones? This book will fly off the shelf.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)