Catalyst

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Catalyst. New York: Viking, 2002. 323 pages. (Realistic Fiction)


Kate Malone is a straight-A student, math geek, and is obsessed with chemistry. She lives with her dad and her brother, and her mom died when she was very young. Kate has a boyfriend and two absolutely wonderful best friends. So far, in her life everything is going perfectly, (except for her mom) and she feels as if she can handle anything. Until her neighbors, the Litches, house burns down, and her dad lets them move in out of “the goodness in his heart.” Teri and her little brother have to sleep in her bedroom, and Teri always gets in trouble, fights with people, and is very inconsiderate. Kate is in her senior year of high school, and she only applied to one school, MIT. She is very anxious and stressed because she hasn’t heard from them. Her life is getting ruined more and more by the seconds that tick by. Then it blows up.

I really enjoyed this book because it’s not just about girls who are freaking out about a pimple, buying the wrong shade of lip gloss, or gaining a pound. It’s about a girl who experiences thing that happen to normal people. I really like how it showed that even if someone is perfect, there world can be torn apart. This book makes you really look at people differently, and try to see what they are really made of, and not just what other people see at a glance. I would positively recommend this book to anything.

Reviewed by: LESH

The Alchemist

Scott, Michael. The Alchemist. New York City: Delacorte Press, 2007. 375 pages. (Fantasy)

Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel are immortal. The Book of Abraham the Mage, the most powerful book ever to exist, has kept them alive for centuries and without it they will age one year for every day. So it’s a problem when Dr. John Dee gets his hands on the book- all of the book but two pages. He’s missing those two pages thanks to Josh Newman and his twin sister Sophia Newman, and he will stop at nothing to get them. Anyone in his way is history.

This book is highly addicting and extremely unpredictable. Its twists and turns leave you aching for more. Don’t miss the second book in the series, The Magician.

Reviewed by: DancingPenguin96

Pictures in the Dark

Cross, Gillian. Pictures in the Dark. New York: Puffin Books, 1998, 208 pages (Fantasy / Horror)


Charlie just got involved in a photography class. He has developed a special interest in the class… especially for the girl that just joined, Jennifer. Jennifer’s brother is the outcast of the school. He is always being picked on because of his “Evil Stare” Charlie tries, at first to stick up for him, but later on, Peter ends up stealing Charlie’s famous picture of the river at night. The thing about this picture that makes it so special is that an unknown, wild animal is causing orange ripples in the black water.

I liked this book because it kept you turning the pages to find out what happens next. I really despised Peter as a character. Peter is a creep and mysterious and when he stares at people, strange things happen. I like how at first everything seems so confusing and nothing comes together till near the end.

Reviewed By: Deviantdrawer12

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul 2

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul 2. Florida: Health Communication, 1998. 324 pages. (Inspiration / Non-Fiction)


Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul 2
Is a book written by teenagers.
When you read its stories you are whisked away
And sucked into the pages.

Don’t be surprised if it makes you realize
A whole new side of you.
After reading of all the tragedies and mistakes,
You may see life through a different view

Some stories are of love,
Some are of hate.
Others are on kindness,
Question or debate.

When you read it,
Don’t worry about how you dress or look
Just choose to experience
A whole new kind of book

This series is incredible. It really makes you realize how much others can be in pain and you may not even realize it. The Chicken Soup… series is great in how it’s written by hundreds of different teenagers and even adults. Some of them are the popular type, others are misfits, and some are in pain. From all of those different points of view you can begin to understand people better. I recommend the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul series for all teenagers (especially girls) of any shape, size, knowledge, or ability.

Reviewed by: DancingPenguin96

That Summer

Dessen, Sarah. That Summer. New York: Penguin Group, 1996. 198 pages. (Drama / Romance)

For fifteen-year-old Haven, she can’t stand the fact that she is almost six feet tall and still growing. She and her older sister Ashley had to go through her mom and dad’s divorce, which isn’t always easy. But the hard part about it was that, that summer her dad was getting re-married to Lorna Queen the local television newscaster. The “Weather Pet” as Haven likes to call her. Also that summer Ashley was going to get married to Lewis Warsher, who Haven doesn’t really think suits Ashley at all. Then one day when Haven was working at the mall she saw Ashley’s old boyfriend, Sumner Lee. When Haven saw Sumner she remembered back when her parents were together and happy. When Ashley was nice and carefree. And everything was the way she liked it, or not…

I would and wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone because it’s a good book, but it didn’t keep my interest at all, and it’s not something I would want to read again.

Reviewed by: PrivilegedReader

Things Not Seen

Clements, Andrew. Things Not Seen. New York City: Penguin Books, 2004. 251 pages. (Fantasy)


Bobby Philips is a normal 15 year old boy who lives in Chicago. One morning, he wakes up invisible. Not knowing how this happened, Bobby turns to his parents, the Professor (mom), and the Physicist (dad). Soon it becomes a race to figure out how Bobby became invisible and make him visible again because people start to wonder where Bobby is. Later, he meets Alicia, a blind girl. She begins to help him find out how he became invisible. Bobby starts telling her things and trusting her, but what happens if the government were to find out about the invisible boy? How are they going to find out what turned Bobby invisible and reverse it? You can read the story and find out.

This book was O.K. At some places in the beginning it would move slowly, but it was fun to read. Andrew Clements is a good author for young adults. All of his books are exciting.
Reviewed by: DeidaraSama1

The Book of Story Beginnings

Kladstrup, Kristin. The Book of Story Beginnings.Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2006. 360 pages. (Fantasy)


After moving from her apartment to a house in Iowa, Lucy learns that her family all the way back to her great uncle lived in the house which the towns people called “The Brick”. Her Aunt Lavonne had lived in the house till she died and that’s when her family had moved there. She knew that her great uncle had one night disappeared from the farm house into the ocean, but everyone knows that there’s no ocean in Iowa. Lucy’s Dad told her about a little book that Oscar (her great uncle that had disappeared) had wrote in. The book had little story beginnings that Oscar had wrote years ago, one of them was a boy who lived in a small farm house in Iowa looked out his window one night and saw an ocean, on the shore there was a boat just the right size for him, he got in and sailed away. That story, Lucy realized came true according to Oscar’s sister, her aunt Lavonne, but she couldn’t ask her because she was dead!!

I highly recommend this book: it’s funny and so random! I would read another book by this author because she keeps her imagination wide open and always makes serious things hilarious.

Reviewed by: Sabine's World

Lily’s Crossing

Giff Reilly, Patricia. Lily’s Crossing. NY: Yearling Books, 1999. 208 pages.

This is a story about four main characters Lily, Albert, Grandma, and Dad. This all takes place during World War II on a beach in Rockaway. Lily is faced with a problem her friend is going work for her father in Michigan. Lily’s father is also thinking of fighting in the war in France. Albert, Lily’s new friend, has left his sick sister in Europe. Lily and Albert solve their problems by try going to France in a rowboat. That really didn’t work out so when the war ended they sent letters to his family members. Read this book to see how it ended.

If I were to describe this book in ten or more words it would be dry but kind of interesting in a way. There was really nothing there to keep my from reading on to further chapters or even finishing the book…There were so many times I wanted to put the book down, but since I didn’t have time to start another book, I read on.
Reviewed by: Sky's the Limit

New Moon

Meyer, Stephenie. New Moon. New York: Hachette Book Group, 2006. 563 pages. (Vampire Romance)


Bella Swan has her past with Edward in the Forks. She fell completely in love with him. Then, Edward moves away, leaving her with practically no explanation. Next thing she knows, her world is crumbling right into the hands of Jacob Black, her new best friend. She tries to hide her misery from herself by covering it with fun and smiles with Jacob. But when Jacob becomes something bigger, badder than any vampire, her misery returns, and her father is left to deal with her, right after his friend’s death. Bella thinks Edward has no feelings for her anymore, but what she doesn’t know; Edward knows everything that’s going on.

I fell in love with this book as soon as I read the first paragraph. Stephenie Meyer has a way of pulling you in, and never letting you out. Sometimes I hated to read it, because I knew that I soon as I opened that cover back up, I’d be gone. I’d get so lost in reading that I didn’t even realize where I was or what I was doing. I would recommend New Moon to anyone who wants to get lost in a thrilling romance. It is one of the best books I have ever read.

Reviewed by: PinkPopper

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul

Canfield, Jack; Hansen, Mark; Kirberger, Kimberly. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Florida: Health Communications, 1997. 334 pages. (Non-Fiction / Inspirational)

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul is full of 101 stories of love, losses, life, learning, and achieving submitted by all types of different people. In this book you can find comfort, get help if you need it, experience others’ pain, and learn from others’ experiences. It is a book to cry about, laugh about, and talk about. The subjects covered in this book are: Relationships, Friendship, Family, Love and Kindness, Learning, Tough Stuff, Making a Difference, and Going for it!

This book is truly touching. It made me laugh and cry (I cried more than I laughed). It opens up a whole new part of you that you never noticed before.

Reviewed by: DancingPenguin96

Tomorrow, When the War Began

Marsden, John. Tomorrow, When the War Began. New York City: Scholastic Inc., 1993. 276. (Action-Fiction)

When Ellie and her friends go camping, they have no idea that their lives are going to be changed-forever. It starts off okay, despite a not so tragic food shortage and some secret crushes. But when they get back home, something is wrong. The animals are starving and no-one is around. A few days later they find that that their home country of Australia has been invaded. What will they do, fight to save their friends and family, or hide and save themselves??

I thought that this was a great book and anyone who liked the book or movie Red Dawn. The group of teenagers that are playing a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse really did inspire me because it shows what a group of desperate and determined group of people can do in terrible situations.

Reviewed by: Starfox15

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. New York: Sarah Chrichton Books, 2007. 229 pages. (Nonfiction / Memoir)

This book is about a group of African boys who live in Sierra Leone, Africa. There is a terrible war going on and you can’t trust anyone. You always suspect the worst, which is that everyone around you is rebels. Ishmael Beah is a 9 year-old boy who is just trying to find his family. His village, Mattru Jong, has been taken over by rebels who would take a red-hot bayonet and carve the letters RUF (Revolutionary United Front) on your stomach. This meant you were not only scarred for life, but you could never escape the rebels. If you went into a village, you would be unwelcomed and thrown out. He will never be the same. What will happen next? You’ll have to read it for yourself.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone because, even though there is bad language and lots of blood and violence, everyone should know what it’s like to be in a war and why we should be grateful that we are alive today. Because of its goriness, blood and violence, you should probably not read this book if you are easily sickened or saddened.

Reviewed by: Jazzy GB

The Clique

Harrison, Lisi, The Clique, 2005, Alloy Entertainment; new York city, 251 pages. (Romance / Fiction)

Massie Block is the queen bee at Octavian country day (OCD), and known for her infamous pretty committee consisting of her three best friends Alicia Rivera, Dylan Marvel, and Kristen Gregory. But when she is told by her parents that her itinerary has been changed due to a meeting with new comer Claire Lyons Massie thinks what could be more important than shopping for the New Year? Claire Lyons is a Florida chick, and is dying to fit in. so what is her plan become friends with the queen. Clair does some pretty mean things to become friends with Massie. She sneaks into Massie’s bedroom and IM’s Massie’s friends pretending to be Massie. And Claire’s plan worked she got Kristen to tell her she was poor and she told Dylan that her legs were fat (super sensitive about her weight). And Claire was in and Massie was out. Life was luxurious for Claire. She got a free cell phone from Alicia and unlimited shopertunities with the new pretty committee. Everything was going Ok but then Claire’s worst nightmare happened. Massie finds out about Claire’s idea to make people like her and become the new trend setter. Massie somehow find out that Claire set her up. But Massie will be Massie and convinces the pretty committee that she had nothing to do with it. So she gets dumped by her only friend Layne for cancelling their plans to hang out with the pretty committee and the story ends with Claire wishing for new clothes, more friends, Massie’s approval, and richer parents. Will Claire’s wishes come true or will her life in Westchester be more out than Burberry? Read the next book in the series Best friends for never.

I think this book is a book all teenage girls should read. It shows that you should never change for any one and there is more to life than designer clothes and rich friends. I suggest to all girls to read this series. It will teach you a lot about friendship and making tough decisions.

Reviewed by: KR12

Boneshaker

Priest, Cherie. Boneshaker. NY: Tor Books, 2009. 416 pages. (Steampunk / Alternative History / Sci-Fi)

What would have happened if the Civil War had lasted 16 years, not 4? What if the “Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine” destroyed Seattle? What if the Boneshaker released a blight that slowly killed those who inhaled it, turning them into rotting zombies? Cherie Priest combines all this into a must read book and a wonderful new series.
Mad inventor Leviticus Blue built the boneshaker to mine gold in the Klondike but when he tested it for the first time, it ran amok destroying Seattle and releasing the Blight which turned the population of the city into zombies. Years later Blue's son, Zeke, goes into the ruins of the now walled city to clear his father's name. His mother Briar Wilkes follows him on an airship to bring him back and save him from the Blight that is still eking its way to the surface. When she discovers that people still live in the remains of the city among the walking dead lead by the mysterious Dr. Minnericht, an inventor rumor says is her dead husband, her plans of rescue become a race against the living and the dead.

WOW! This nonstop book gives Stephen King a run for his money as the leading horror writer. You'll turn the last page way too soon and want to return to the wonderfully detailed, horrific world of Boneshaker. Thankfully the Clockwork Century Series continues in Clementine, Dreadnought, and the upcoming Ganymede. 

Reviewed by: DisreputableDog

The Sweet Far Thing

Bray, Libba. The Sweet Far Thing. N.Y.: Random House, 2007. 832 pages. (Fantasy/Romance)

The Sweet Far Thing was a dramatic ending to the esteemed trilogy of the Gemma Swan series. In this book the Winterlands are threatening to take over the peace of the realms and are trying to take the magic that Gemma now holds. The alliances are being threatened with mysterious deaths and the clear blue sky is now a blood red sea of clouds. Gemma’s friendships are on the rocks and her love life is not how it used to be. Her father is addicted again, and always there is the still sad reminder of her mother s tragic death. Then, when it seemed that it could get no worse, something tragic happens. A forsaken birth of May has come, and the wrong people are coming out of the wrong door.  Spence and its girls are in grave danger and Gemma doesn’t know if she can save them.

     

This book was a traumatic ending to the wondrous series. It was full of love, adventure, war, and loss. It had a little something for everybody in it. Even though it was full of happy times, I feel that it had twice as many sad times in the book. I will tell only this, I cried for hours after reading the last hundred or so pages. I give this book the label of traumatic. But, it would also be non-stop action because even though it was horrifically sad, it also was jam packed with action. I would only recommend this book to the people who have read the other two books in the trilogy because it would give too much away. But, if you have read the other two, then I recommend that you do read it because it caps off the series in a great way. 

Reviewed by: HiJen

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Verne, Jules. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. New York: Baronet Books, 1992. 237 pages. (Steampunk/SciFi)

The book I read was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne. I really enjoyed this book, because I too enjoy sea life. The story starts off with a “sea monster” that seems to be around 60 feet long and indestructible. It even went through another ship! A sea life expert, Professor Aronnax, and his friends Conseil, and Ned go out on a boat to find this sea monster, which takes them around three months to find. When they see it Ned fires at it, and when it doesn’t die, they knew it wasn’t an animal. It ended up being some of the most advanced technology ever seen in their time. Being able to take people under water for about 4 days was very impressive, (It had to go back up to collect more air, but could eventually go back down for another 4 days). I don’t think I’d be so thrilled being sentenced in the ship for life, so that no one knew about it, but being able to see all the things of the deep that no people on land have gotten to see would be one of my greatest adventures. I think most people that read this book would enjoy it, because of the thrilling ride the book takes you through. It’s safe to say this was one of my favorite books yet, and I hope other readers enjoy it as much as I did. 

By: Mator1313

Boomer’s Journal.

Kelley, R.E. Boomer’s Journal. Florida: Worthington Press, 1995. 160 pages.(Realistic Fiction)

The book Boomer’s Journal is about a boy named Charles Nichols but his nickname is Boomer. He lives with his dad and his step mom in Freel Canyon. His real mom died in a car accident when he was just three. His dad drinks allot and is very harsh when he is drunk. He is an only child and has only one real friend. His only other friend is his dog, Dutch. But when his dad told him to feed his dog less food so he would get the jack rabbit that was in their front yard, he ran away. When they found him way up in the mountains he was torn to pieces. Boomer’s next door neighbor shot him and they buried him in their yard. His friend gave him a golden retriever puppy to cheer him up and to replace Dutch. Boomer hid the puppy for a few days in his bedroom and his step mom new that he had it and was keeping it a secret. When his dad found out he was furious. He said, “There aint no dog that can replace Dutch.” 

Reviewed by: Art Freak

The Year of Secret Assignments

Moriarty, Jaclyn. The Year of Secret Assignments. New York: Scholastic, 2004. 339 pages. (Fiction/Suspense / Poem Review)

The Year of Secret Assignments has

Heated arguments, and

Exciting travels.

You never know what will happen when letters become somewhat

Evil.

A plot begins to help a friend, and soon even more

Rivalries form between Ashbury and Brookfield Schools.

On a trail behind school a shocking

False Identity is found.

Secrets will be revealed, and

Everyone will be surprised.

Come into a world of secret missions, false alarms, and some lock picking.

Re enter the world of high school drama.

Enter, you are welcome here.

Treasure your friends and achievements.

And realize…

Some

Secrets shouldn’t be told,

In case someone without

Good intentions could

Never let you forgive yourself.

Maybe you will overcome, but you should

Enable yourself to because

Not all friends are

True

Some are just there, but true friends are better.

This is an AMAZING book! I could not put it down because of all the new twists and turns. I felt I had to know what was happening next. With all of the twists you can never get bored, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes page turners because this is one! If I were a book reviewer I would give it an A+.

By:  crazemonke6

The Big Wander

Hobbs,Will. The Big Wander. New York: Avon Books, 1992. 181 pages. (Romance/Adventure)

The main characters of the book, The Great Wander, are a fourteen-year-old boy named Clay Lancaster, older brother Mike, and their Uncle Clay Jenkins. The problems Clay and Mike face is trying to find their uncle Clay in the western states who they haven’t seen in years.  Mike is getting home sick and misses a girl named Shelia.  The truck they bought for seventy-five dollars is starting to breakdown. Clay has fallen in love with a girl, and they have no idea where they are going and money is running out.  They try to solve their problems by asking Hubcap Willie and the town’s people to help them find their uncle. Clay talks to Mike about how fun the trip is so he forgets about home and making phone calls all the time. Other interesting facts are that there mom is not even aware they tried to go to look for their Uncle Clay who called looking for her as she is away at Guatemala helping people.

            

 The two brothers, Clay and Mike are the characters that remind me of myself. Clay is adventurous and enjoys the outdoors. Mike is conservative and enjoys being close to home with friends and family.  I enjoy being outside like Clay and staying close to home like Mike.

Reviewed By: Bookworm08

Raise Your Voice

Wasserman, Robin. Raise Your Voice. NY: Scholastic, 2004. 187 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

The book I read was Raise Your Voice. The main characters in the story are Terri, Jay, Paul, Simon, Aunt Nina and Frances. The title of the book is Raise Your Voice because Terri has a great voice and loves to sing in the school choir and just about anywhere. Terri also loves to sing and write her own songs. Terri got invited to Bristol-Hillman Music Conservatory. Only the best people in the country were invited to this summer music school. Her dad, Simon, was not allowing her to go to this school because he didn’t want her in LA all by herself. Since her brother just graduated from school, Terri wanted to get him something for graduating so she got him two tickets to see a band. Terri and her brother Paul snuck out of the house and saw the band. When they were driving on the way back to their house a car went through a red light and smashed into their car.  Read Raise Your Voice to find out what happened next. 

I would recommend this book to anyone because if a bad event happened to them like it did in the story, then they might relate to the book and realize that they are not the only one that is feeling bad. In the beginning I despised the father for not letting his daughter go to the school, but then I realized that he didn’t let her go because he loved her and didn’t want her to leave because she was his only daughter left. I would read another book by this author because it was a nice topic to write about and had a lot of feeling written in the book.

Reviewed by: April Girl

Hot Hands

Lupica, Mike. Hot Hands. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2007. 167 pages. (Sports Fiction)

On of the main characters in my story is Billy Raynor. He plays basketball in a rec. league at the YMCA. Billy is a shoot first, pass second point guard. He plays for the magic with one of the other main characters Lenny DeNardo, the best player on their team. Their coach, also Billy’s dad, is another main character. Him and his wife are just getting through a divorce, so it is very hard for him to remain a good “coach” and father to his three kids. The last main character is Ben, Billy’s younger brother a piano prodigy. This story mainly takes place on the basketball court and in his moms and dads house. The problem in this story is Billy is very selfish player and is becoming a bigger ball hog every game. His dream is for his Team* to win the championship. But when your not acting like a Team* player, there is no way your Team* can win. So he needs to step up and stop acting like a selfish ball hog or his Team* will never win the championship. It is not just on the court were Billy needs to improve, he needs to be a better family player too. By spending more time with mainly his brother Ben. Will Billy become a team player over all on the court and in his home, or will he face the fact that he is not a Team* player? Find out by reading the book. I liked this book so much because it was about basketball. I like books where I can relate to what is happening in the story by using similar stuff I have actually done. This book was a sport that requires a team effort. I liked this book, but u in some places it was to understand the content. If I were to give it an overall grade, it would be A 92.

*****- five players on a basketball team not just ONE!

BY: Sierra

Sleeping Freshman Never Lie

Lubar, David. Sleeping Freshman Never Lie. NY: Penguin Group 2005. 279 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

Scott Hudson is just starting high school. He has heard many rumors about being a freshman and none of them sound too good. Bullies are just one of the many obstacles Scott has to take on, but when one of his friends moves to Texas, he gets in a fight with the other one, and his mom announces that she is having a baby, the world Scott knew comes crashing down around him. He decides to write a guide to high school for his sibling-to-be, just to make life easier on him. Scott also gets dragged into many things involuntarily. Some of these things, just to mention a few, are writing for the school paper, getting involved with student council, and volunteering for the tech crew of the play. All these things not only overwhelm him, but also cause lack of sleep. All of a sudden a weirdly girl shows up at school, with pins and bracelets on every square inch of her body. Her name is Lee. She shares Scott’s love of extraordinary poems and stories, and the two start to get to know. There is also one Wesley Cobble who drifts into the picture. Wesley is a senior who protects Scott from bullies and gives him rides everywhere, using a different vehicle every time. Suspicious? But as Scott gets to know the two better, he decides what real friendship is, and where his friendship lies.

I really liked this book because of the climaxes that happen not only at the end of the story, but other places in the story as well. It is also an interesting book because you can imagine it happening to anyone in real life as well. The author combines real life experiences with fiction making this story believable and great. The story also combines great humor with wise tips and adventure. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read any book.

Reviewed by San Andreas

Danger.com: @6//Bad Intent

Cray, Jordan. Danger.com: @6//Bad Intent/. NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1998. 225 pages. (Thriller)

The book that I read was called Danger.com: @6//Bad Intent/. The main characters are Brian Rittenhouse, Dawn Sedaris, Lobo (who was Brian as well), and Mal Bouchard. The story takes place at their high school, Bloomfield High. The problem they face was that some jocks at their school shot their coach and are on trial for it. There was also strange stuff going on. This stuff was like people are changing and people are dying. People are changing by going crazy; in the story it says “Bloomfield was getting more full of psychos every day.” People are committing suicide and people are killing other people. The characters go about solving the problem by figuring out facts on who did what at their school.  Some other interesting facts are that Brian is in love with Dawn, but Dawn is one of the popular girls who only talks to nerds, like Brian, when they need help. 

I loved this book, and the series it’s in. I would recommend this book to people because it is a very good book and its one of those stories where it makes you wants to keep reading. If you like mystery stories then this is a book to read. I would also check out the Danger.com series.

Review by: Grace 

Ana’s Story a Journey of Hope

Bush, Jenna. Ana’s Story a Journey of Hope. NY: Harper Collins, 2007. 290 pages. (Nonfiction)

She is 17. She has been abused. She has a child. She is HIV positive.

Her name was Ana and this is her story. The day she was born she was infected with HIV which was transferred from her 16 year old mother. She barely remembers her mother who died when Ana was only three. From there on her childhood was a blur of secrets and very faint memories. She had to keep secrets about her illness and her abuse. She tried hard to forget. She has been from home to home not finding love and safety. When she meets a boy Berto she found both. She opens up her heart and mind to Berto. She has hope and a new beginning.

I loved this book it seems like it could be true even though it was fictional. It could be happening to anyone around us. It kills me inside that people go through this daily. Some people don’t have the guts to say something and stay in that abuse at least Ana has a happy ending.

Reviewed by: x0oSo0x

The Outsiders

Hinton,S.C. The Outsiders. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc, 2003. 180 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

The Outsiders is about a 14 year old boy named Ponyboy. His parents died when he was young, so he lives with his brothers Darry and his close brother Sodapop. Darry is the oldest, and Sodapop is the middle child. They are all part of a gang called the Greasers, and they are always getting into fights with the Socs. One night Ponyboy and Johnny, a close friend of Ponyboy’s and also in the Greasers gang, were at the park and the Socs jumped them. Usually they were just beat up, but that night, things got way too out of hand.

For me, this book was a little weird, but I guess it was like that because it was very real. My favorite character was probably Dally because he is very dangerous and outgoing, and he made the book much more interesting than if he wasn’t in it. I think that the author did an extremely good job writing it, especially since she was just 16 at the time. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves something very suspenseful.

Reviewed by:(LESH)

Fairest

Levine, Gail. Fairest. New York: Harper Collins, 2008. 326 pages. (Fantasy)

Fairest is the story of a young girl named Aza. She lives in the kingdom of Ayortha, where beauty and singing are the most important qualities that one must have to be “acceptable”. Aza has the most beautiful singing voice, but is not at all attractive. Because beauty is so important in there, people are scared of her without even knowing her or listening to her singing. Aza lives in an inn with her parents who had adopted her a long time ago when an old woman abandoned her at one of the inn’s rooms. Aza has been helping out with cleaning the inn all her life. One day, Aza looks through a mirror while cleaning a guest’s room. The mirror was the queen’s mirror. Suddenly, Aza was beautiful. She had light peachy lips, dark blue eyes, silky brown hair, and her ragged clothes turned into an elegant gown. Aza was perfect, but the only question now is: Can Aza still sing as beautifully as she used to?

This is one of my favorite fantasy books. The book really got me into it with its suspense, mysteriousness, and charm. The story does not have only one theme going through it, it has tons! There is war, romance, drama, and hatred. My favorite part of the book was when Aza looked through the mirror. With the author’s description of how she looked, I could almost see Aza in my bedroom mirror. Her dreams had come true after so much tragedy and sorrow. This scene has definitely had the greatest impact on me when I was reading this book.

Reviewed by: Kambat

Where the Red Fern Grows

Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows. New York: The Curtis Publishing Company, 1961. 249. (Realistic Fiction)

Billy wants two coon dogs more than just about anything in the world, but a good coon dog costs money and that is something Billy’s family just doesn’t have. Billy mopes around for quite a while knowing that he most likely won’t get his dogs when he finds a discarded hunting magazine with an ad for registered coon dogs. The problem is that the dogs cost twenty-five dollars each. Billy decides that two dogs is worth however long it takes to collect the money, so he cleans out “an old K. C. Baking Powder can” and gets busy trapping the Ozark Mountains where he lives, picking berries and doing just about anything he can to fill his new bank. Even after he gets the dogs there’s still the training to be done. What adventures will Little Ann, Old Dan and Billy get into when the training is over?

This is an amazing story about a boy, his dogs, and their love for each other told through their adventures together and their team work when the trail gets hard. I would definitely read more books by Wilson Rawls because I found this novel to be a very good story that was very well written.

Reviewed by: B man

Downriver

Hobbs, Will. Downriver. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1991 204 pages. (Survival/Adventure)

Jessie’s dad has decided to send Jessie to “juvenile delinquent camp,” she calls it. Jessie used to do so well in school and is now skipping classes in her sophomore year in high school in the first month of school. Also, she has been in two car accidents being below the age of driving and hangs out with guys a few years older than her. When in Hoods in the Woods, or Discovery Unlimited, they travel all around for 9 months, not just hiking, but anything you could imagine. No one likes the leader, Al, because they all have to go rafting on the flat, slow river, San Juan River, just so Al could get a permit. Al steps out of the van to make sure everything is set, and everyone in the van decides to drive away and leave him. They end up going to the Grand Canyon because they had all the gear for rafting on a river, and they thought that people looking for them wouldn’t think to check there. All seven kids go through many tough situations where they have to stand for what they think is right, not just what Troy, the “leader,” says. Al finds them and tries to set them up because they were in trouble, but they always find a way to get away from him.

I selected this book because it looked like a book of adventure. I really enjoyed the story, and I thought it was well plotted out. Nothing happened too fast, but nothing happened to slow. There was always sometime in the book where I could think about what had already happened and. I could never tell what was going to come next, and I was just as surprised as the characters when something big happened. When I don’t have a book to read in free time, I know I can count on Will Hobbs’s books to keep me fascinated!

Richie Rich

Do You Know The Monkey Man?

Butler, Dori. Do You Know The Monkey Man? NY: Scholastic Inc., 2005. 193 pages. (Mystery)

Do You Know the Monkey Man was about a girl named Samantha Wright who did not know her father all her life because he disappeared when she was only three years old. He disappeared right after Sam’s twin sister died in the old quarry……. Or did she?!Now she is thirteen and wants to find him. She sets about looking for him by asking around her family, looking at the library and going to see a psychic who said her twin sister was alive . None of these things help Sam find her dad, but out of nowhere her friend said she could find a detective online. They found a detective and emailed him. He emailed back three days later and said that he thought that he had found a match! Sam called him but he didn’t answer so she left a message saying who she was. He never called back so Sam called him again four days later……….and the phone number was changed. Will Sam ever find her dad, or if her sister is still alive???

I enjoyed this book because I was drawn into it. Dori made this book a suspenseful and sensitive take on a family’s crisis brought on by a thirteen year old girls search for the truth! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys meaningful stories. Including guys, just because the book is about a girl’s story doesn’t mean guys won’t like it just as much as I do!!

Lexi Swartzenegger

Danger.com: @6//Bad Intent/

Cray, Jordan. Danger.com: @6//Bad Intent/ NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1998. 225 pages (Thriller)

The book that I read was called Danger.com: @6//Bad Intent/. The main characters are Brian Rittenhouse, Dawn Sedaris, Lobo (who was Brian as well), and Mal Bouchard. The story takes place at their high school, Bloomfield High. The problem they face was that some jocks at their school shot their coach and are on trial for it. There was also strange stuff going on. This stuff was like people are changing and people are dying. People are changing by going crazy; in the story it says “Bloomfield was getting more full of psychos every day.” People are committing suicide and people are killing other people. The characters go about solving the problem by figuring out facts on who did what at their school. Some other interesting facts are that Brian is in love with Dawn, but Dawn is one of the popular girls who only talks to nerds, like Brian, when they need help. I loved this book, and the series it’s in. I would recommend this book to people because it is a very good book and its one of those stories where it makes you wants to keep reading. If you like mystery stories then this is a book to read. I would also check out the Danger.com series.

Logan@Wolverine.Xmen

Closer Than Ever

Gunn Jones, Robin. Closer Than Ever. MN: Minneapolis, 1955. 152 pages. (Romance)

Sierra Jensen and her dearest friend are celebrating their graduation from Christen high school, and they all are accepted to Rancho Corona University. Sierra’s friend Paul, is coming to Sierra’s graduation. Paul and Sierra were very close friends for a long time. Did their likes grew into love?

Everything was going perfect, the lobster was cooking, Sierra’s friends were decorating Sierra’s house, and Sierra’s brothers went mini golfing so that they can’t mess up the party. But the only thing that was missing is Paul! Where is Paul? Sierra was having a felling that something bad happened to Paul. Sierra older sister and Paul’s older brother went to the airport to see if Paul was there waiting for a ride to Sierra’s house. But he wasn’t there! Is Paul kidnapped, killed or ever in the hospital? Sierra didn’t know what to do, and the party has to start! Everyone in the house went down to their knees, and prayed so that Paul is safe.

A lot of the things that happened in the book happened in my life, like when Sierra was waiting for Paul come to the graduation, she was praying to God that Paul is all right and safe. My family and I were waiting for my cousin, Natalya to come our house but her airplane wasn’t there, went my dad got there! My dad called home and told my family that Natalya wasn’t there. So my grandpa made my whole family go on our knees, and pray that she would show up. And she showed up about 2 am.

DeanMyers

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Patterson, James. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. New York: Hachette, 2006. 413 pages. (Sci-Fi / Thriller)

I bet you have never run away from werewolf like creatures who were programmed just to destroy you. I also bet that you have never experienced what it’s like to have wings and soar through the sky. Well, I can’t say the same for Maximum Ride. Her and her 5 friends, Angel, Fang, Gasman, Iggy, and Nudge, are all 98% human and 2% bird. They all have wings. They escaped from a laboratory called the School and are on the run. At the School, they genetically altar kids into any kind of creature imaginable. Which is how Max and her gang ran into the Erasers. Erasers are part dog. They have hairy faces, razor sharp teeth, and claws. But they’re no match for Max and her best friends. Join the ride as you become a part of the experiment and follow Max through obstacles only she could face. You’re in for a shock.

This is an absolutely amazing book. Once I started, I could never put it down! It’s totally action packed from beginning to end. A must read for ALL! It’s written so well, you see it as a movie in your head. Maximum Ride is full of non stop action, amazing plot twists, and weird creatures. This is the first in the incredible series. James Patterson, the author, calls this book “My favorite story, and probably my best”

All My Duck in a Row

Saving Grace

Spencer, Katherine. Saving Grace. N.Y. Parachute LLC, 2007 246 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

In this story a girl named Grace lives with her family. During the summer Grace’s brother Matt was driving in his car to go get milk at the fast mart, when he was on his way home he ran into a tree and died. Ever since the accident Grace has been really upset. When she goes back to school she is a little annoyed and a little sad because, everyone around her keeps asking if what happened is true and if she is okay. As she went to sit with her friends at lunch, a girl walked into her, and Grace spilled her lunch on Philomena. The girls sitting at the table next to the scene were laughing. Their names are Dana, Lindsay, and Morgan they were….. well I guess you can call them the popular group. After Philomena walked away Dana called Grace over to the table and they talked, she invited Grace to come over to her house after school. Grace accepted the offer. Ever since her brother’s death she has been begin to do negative things. Hanging out with the “popular” group was probably not the best choice she has made. When they were hanging out Dana made Grace an alcoholic drink. Then Grace started dancing with Dylan. When Dylan and Dana’s step mom show up, she takes everyone home. As the story goes on Grace gets worse. If you want to see if she will get better then you should read this book.

I liked this book because it teaches you that you have the ability to make the right choices. It is a good book and it has a lot problem solving in it. I think that it is good reading material. If you like Drama then you should read this book.

Reviewed by: laxlady014

Half Human

Half Human. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2001. 212 pages. (Fantasy/Short Stories)

Have you ever heard of centaurs? What about mermaids? There have been myths about half humans for centuries. This book takes myths from authors Bruce Coville, Nancy Springer, D.J. Malcom and others. They are writing about things that are caught between two worlds. One of my favorites is Princess Dragonblood by Jude Mandell. It is about a girl born from a desperate queen tricked into drinking dragon blood. Eleanor looks human at first, but she has slight ridges on her back, long talon like nails, and a warlike personality. At thirteen, she is forced to meet her dragon father, coming to him his enemy, but leaving as his loving daughter. Eleanor, like all the other beings in this book must struggle to find her own true identity.

This is a pretty good book. Some of the stories I really liked like Princess Dragonblood, Becoming, and The Hardest, Kindest Gift. But others I didn’t like at all. In all, I think they were imaginative and creative.

Smiles A lot

The Sweet Far Thing

Bray, Libba. The Sweet Far Thing. N.Y.: Random House, 2007. 832 pages. (Fantasy / Romance)

The Sweet Far Thing was a dramatic ending to the esteemed trilogy of the Gemma Swan series. In this book the Winterlands are threatening to take over the peace of the realms and are trying to take the magic that Gemma now holds. The alliances are being threatened with mysterious deaths and the clear blue sky is now a blood red sea of clouds. Gemma’s friendships are on the rocks and her love life is not how it used to be. Her father is addicted again, and always there is the still sad reminder of her mother s tragic death. Then, when it seemed that it could get no worse, something tragic happens. A forsaken birth of May has come, and the wrong people are coming out of the wrong door. Spence and its girls are in grave danger and Gemma doesn’t know if she can save them.

This book was a traumatic ending to the wondrous series. It was full of love, adventure, war, and loss. It had a little something for everybody in it. Even though it was full of happy times, I feel that it had twice as many sad times in the book. I will tell only this, I cried for hours after reading the last hundred or so pages. I give this book the label of traumatic. But, it would also be non-stop action because even though it was horrifically sad, it also was jam packed with action. I would only recommend this book to the people who have read the other two books in the trilogy because it would give too much away. But, if you have read the other two, then I recommend that you do read it because it caps off the series in a great way.

JenJen

Super Models of the World Party Girl

Calhoun, B.B. Supermodels of the World Party Girl. New York: Random House Inc., 1994 168 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

The book that I have chosen is called Super Models of the World Party Girl. It is about a girl named Cassandra. She has always dreamed about being a model. She normally gets everything she wants so when she is given the chance to compete with a bunch of other amature models she has a hard time believing that she might not get her way like she normally does!

This book is alright. I read the first one so I thought id give this one a shot. The first one is better :-D but this one was okay.(about 7 out of 10). Cassandra was a bit of a snob and it got me mad! But it was a good book!

Reviewed by Pass the Time

Angels in Pink: Kathleen’s Story

McDaniel, Lurlene. Angels in Pink: Kathleen’s Story. New York: Laurel Leaf Inc. 192 pages. (Romance)

Kathleen McKensie has never had a boyfriend. EVER. But when her bossy best friend Raina St. James makes her join the Pink Angels summer hospital volunteer job, that boyfriend problem might change. Right on the first day she catches the eyes of Carson, the two main doctor’s son. She makes herself not think about him because of her very ill mother. Kathleen cooks, cleans, and helps her mother when she’s not at the hospital. But when her mother is unconscious because of a blood problem she finds that Carson and his parents are the only ones to help. Will Kathleen and Carson form a bond? Or will she be boyfriend less for the rest of her life? Find out in the 1st book of the Angels in Pink series.

Wow! That’s all I can say about this book. Lurlene McDaniel makes images that pop into your head. Also I think this book helps you balances family and friend responsibilities. Most girls should read this because they can realize that even though you have a problem at home you can still have fun with your best friends outside of home. So people who want to learn lessons, read this book! And read Raina and Holly’s Story in the 2nd and 3rd books of the series!

Channee

Angels in Pink: Raina’s Story

McDaniel, Lurlene. Angels in Pink: Raina’s Story. New York: Laurel Leaf Inc. 190 pages. (Romance)

Raina St. James’ life is going perfectly for the beginning of her junior year. Her two best friends Holly and Kathleen have crushes, they love their volunteer jobs at the hospital as Pink Angels, and Raina and her boyfriend Hunter are the perfect couple. Well all this changes when Raina’s ex boyfriend Tony moves back to her school and threatens to ruin what she and Hunter have. Soon secrets unfold and Raina learns she has a long-lost sister her mother never spoke of! Soon enough Raina’s world turns upside down and she and Hunter have broken up and she has a new sister to deal with. At least she has Holly and Kathleen to lean on. But will she and Hunter forgive each other? And will she get used to having a sibling? Find out in the 2nd book of the Angels in Pink series.

This book is the kind of book I can’t put down! Page after page you find out something new! Angels in Pink definitely teaches you that even through struggles you have family and friends to lean on. Lurlene McDaniel’s has an amazing gift of writing and makes you never want to stop reading her books. I LOVE this book and I think teenage girls should read it to learn that everyone makes mistakes! After you read this book get the 3rd book in the series: Holly’s Story. I advise people to read this book!!!!

Channee

Bloomability

Creech, Sharon. Bloomability. New York: HarperCollins Publisher. 273 pages. (Travel Fiction)

Dinnie Doone has traveled all over the U.S. But one place she hasn’t traveled is Switzerland. So, her parents arrange for the Aunt Sandy and Uncle Max to take her there for a year so she can learn their family history. At first Dinnie thinks it’s kidnapping. But once she meets Lila a little spitfire and Guthrie her crush things look a little brighter for her. Once she goes to school she meets tons of people and learns tons of languages. Her winter is full of skiing and learning Italain. People keep telling her Switzerland is her home. Will she realize how much she loves Switzerland or will she be homesick from America forever?

Bloomability is an amazing book. It really teaches you how much family, friend, and your home is important to you. I love how the author shows all the detail in everything. It has so many lessons and can be funny in some parts. All I can say if you want to read about how important your home is to you, read this book!!!!

Channee

Princess in the Spotlight

Cabot, Meg. Princess in the Spotlight. New York: Harper Collins Publishers Inc. 257 pages. (Romance)

Mia is just getting used to being the Princess of Genovia since her father got his curable cancer. Somehow interviews, autographs, and royal dinners are getting easier! But when she finds out her mother is pregnant and marrying her Algebra teacher her whole world turns upside down…again!!!!! I mean her life is complicated enough already! On one regular day as she is moping about her life she gets a secret admirer note. Who is it from??? Will Mia accept her mom getting married and having a baby and find out who her secret admirer is? Or will she have a lovless life and dispise the baby and her stepfather? Find out in this funny, amazing book!

This book is halarious! Every girl who needs help on friendship, divorced families, and accpeting herself should read it! The author really shows and expresses how Mia’s life is so you can imagine it in your head. Sometimes a chapter can get really boring but the author makes the boring chapter jump into a huge event in the next chapter! I love this book so much and Meg Cabot has done an amazing job making a sequal to Princess Diaries!! So I really suggest that people read this book!

Channee

The Princess Diaries

Cabot, Meg. The Princess Diaries. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. 283 pages. (Romance)

Mia Thermopolis is a five-foot-nine geek. She is flunking algebra, her crush doesn’t even know she exists, and to top it all off her mom is dating her algebra teacher!!! One day she finds out her dad is coming to visit…and that he has cancer. No worries for her though because it can be treated. But when she visits him at the plaza hotel and thinks what is a normal lunch doesn’t turn out to be one. SHE IS THE PRINCESS OF GENOVIA!!!!!!!!!! And it turns out that she has to move to Genovia with her father! There, she will rule along with her father and go to a fancy college that is not her first choice. You might think she is excited…but think again she is NOT at all excited to become a princess. She tries to keep it from everyone as long as possible. But when she gets a makeover things change. Boys start liking her, teachers treat her as royalty, and her bestfriend Lily can visit the palace! Will she like this new life at all? Or will she become scared and chicken out on becoming a princess? Find out in the next book in the series!!!!

This book is such a page turner. Every time I flip the page I want to read more and more. It’s about an everyday girl becoming a princess; I mean who wouldn’t want to read that? This book also teaches you that if you believe in yourself you and do anything! It’s also funny and can make you giggle out loud. I definitely recommend this book to teenage girls because not only is it funny but it teaches you good lessons in life! So read this amazing, funny, fantasy book!!!!!

Channee

Bratfest at Tiffany’s

Harrison, Lisi. Bratfest at Tiffany’s. New York: Little Brown and Company. 227 pages. (Realistic Fiction / Romance)

Massie Block just got back from her summer vacation and finds out her school, Octivian Country Day (OCD) has turned into Briarwood Octivian Country Day! Boys from their highschool have transferred to her school!!! But that is not good for Massie, she makes her bff’s Kristen, Dylan, Claire, and Alicia go on a Boyfast or no boys what so ever! She thinks boys make them look like idiots and less popular. But once Massie, Kristen, Claire, and Dylan go into an overflow classroom, Alicia can finally flirt with her major crush Josh! But once Massie finds out Alicia has been with Josh it tears them apart! Will Massie stop fussing over the boys?

I think this book is amazing! It is full of comedy, drama, and friendship. This book teaches girls to not let boys or anything come between them. One reason I think girls should read this book is because it is a page turner, you can’t stop reading all of the drama that happens! Also, Lisi Harrington really shows in her writing what a teenage girl’s life is like. So all I can say is, READ THIS BOOK!!!

Reviewed by: Channee

Loser

Spinelli, Jerry. Loser. N.Y.: Scolastic Inc, 2002. 218 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

The main characters in this book are Donald Zinkoff and his parents. This story takes place in a small town. The problem that Donald faces is, trying to get through elementary school with a good reputation and a lot of friends. But there are many problems with this because he laughs at almost anything, he has a problem with his stomach that makes him throw up 3-5 times a week, and one day at the end of 4th grade his life gets scared forever. At the end of the last and most important race of the day he causes his team to lose the championship. He is the slowest kid in class and after the 2 fastest kids in 4th grade give him about a 10- 15 yard head start he still loses and his team comes in last place. For the next few school years he tries to make a good new reputation in school.

One interesting event that happens in this book is one day while Donald is 7, his father takes him on a take tour son to work day. Donald’s father is a mailman and that’s what Donald had always wanted to be ever sense his father got the job. While Donald is delivering mail that he made himself over the past week he comes to this one house with a really old man staring blankly up the street. After Donald asked his father about the mysterious man, his father told him that the man has been staring for 32 years waiting for his brother to return from the war.

I thought this book was one of Jerry Spinelli’s better books because he described things very vividly, and was very specific in his sentences. If I rated this book I think I would personally give it a 6-8 because it was simple and well written. If I was to give this book a one word description I would say it’s interesting because it takes you through a lot of the different stages in the main characters life. One other thing I really liked about this book was the cover because it sticks out so much. The front and the back cover are of a chalk board with the word Loser on both but on the back is partly erased so it keeps you wondering.

Dangling on the Edge

Frindle

Clements, Andrew. Frindle. N.Y.: Alladin Paperbacks, 1996. 105 pages. (Realistic Fiction)

The main characters in this book are Nick, a fifth grade boy, and his fifth grade English teacher, Mrs. Granger. The story takes place in a town called Westfield, in an intermediate school. The problem Nick faces is that he and his teacher disagree about a new word that he invents. His teacher loves using the dictionary and always encourages her students to do the same. One day Nick asked Mrs. Granger why words are called what they are called. She responded by saying “Words are what they are because we say they are.” While walking home from school one day, Nick saw a pen on the side of the road. He picked it up and came up with a great idea. He would call it a “frindle” and use that word all day in school the next day. To do this, Nick called all his friends over to his house and made them sign an oath saying that from now on they would use the word “frindle” instead of “pen.” One interesting event that happened in this book is that in the middle of Nick’s battle with Mrs. Granger over his use of the word “frindle” Mrs. Granger put a notice up on the school bulletin board that said that any kid who used the word “frindle” had to stay after school and write “I am writing this punishment with a pen.”

I thought this book was one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. I would recommend it with anyone who likes stories about mean English teachers who give you homework on the first day of school. This book was so well written that I would read any other book by Andrew Clements. The characters in this book were very easy to picture and the story very easy to follow. This made the book interesting to read. This book made me want to keep reading and reading until I finished it.

Dangling on the Edge