SBPL Teen Reviews

Hope for the flowers - Trina Paulus

2012-02-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

Summary: A story of life and rebirth, of hope and change.

Sara's Review:

A cute book in black and white and yellow about a caterpillar who goes off searching for something more interesting than munching leaves all day. He makes a friend who teaches him what to strive for in life after learning it herself.

Whether your giving up or not, unhappy or happy, just read this loveable book. It can improve your attitude and mood and make you smile no matter what.

Read it! It's happy!

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A night to remember - Walter Lord

2012-01-14T11:28:00.000-08:00

A night to remember - Lord, Walter

Summary: Recounts the demise of the "unsinkable" Titanic, the massive luxury liner that housed extravagances such as a French "sidewalk cafe" and a grand staircase, but failed to provide enough lifeboats for the 2,207 passengers on board.

Miranda's Review

A Night to Remember tells the story of the real people of the ship the R.M.S Titanic .It shows how people felt about people of different class and race and how there beliefs contributed to the major loss of life that night.There is no Jack or Rose in this story ,But that's good the story of the Titanic does not need a fictional romance story ,because the story is already larger then life.

Walter Lord wrote this book in the 50's before the ship was found,and so the ship is described as going down in one piece instead of two, yet many people still think of this as one of the best accounts of the Titanic sinking.

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Han Solo at Stars' End - Brian Daley

2012-01-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

Han Solo at Stars' End - Daley, Brian

Summary: Han Solo's need to bring his starship up to required safety standards and to avoid the Authority brings him and Chewbacca to the desolate Stars' End and face to face with enemies bent on their destruction - (Baker & Taylor)

Michelle's Review:

Straight off, this book is NOT what you're expecting. Having read some amount of Star Wars books, I know there is a SPECIFIC FORMULA (dan dan daa) that you follow.

Unless you need to, you use species and planets that have already been created- Rodians. BANG. Twi'leks. BANG. Arcona. BANG.

Also, it is customary to use some amount-any amount-of Ironic Foreshadowing. [you must know, I will never- go to the Dark side,join the Rebellion, yadda, yadda yadda]

And this book unceremoniously chucks all that out the airlock.

No character is mentioned from the films save Han and Chewbacca, and that alone must receive Creative Kudos.

The overall arc is that Han is trying to rescue Chewbacca from the Authority-bad guys. But-warning-it doesn't actually START on that until Chapter Seven. But it IS worth the wait, as the adventure spirals all the way to a vile prison complex-Star's End.

And that is all I can tell you about for now, but the bottom line is that it is really, REALLY cool.

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The throne of fire - Rick Riordan

2012-01-14T11:13:00.000-08:00

The throne of fire - Riordan, Rick

Summary: Carter Kane and his sister must prevent the chaos snake Apophis from breaking free in a few days' time or the world will come to an end. To have any chance of battling these Forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god Ra.

Kathryn's Review:

I liked this book because you learned about a lot of the Egyptian gods and goddesses, and there was danger at every turn. I thought the writing was fantastic, and the characters were different. If you like to learn about Egyptian history, and like adventure, and twists than this book is perfect for you.

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The diamond of Drury Lane - Julia Golding

2012-01-04T19:31:00.000-08:00

The diamond of Drury Lane: a Cat Royal adventure - Golding, Julia

Summary: Orphan Catherine "Cat" Royal, living at the Drury Lane Theater in 1790s London, tries to find the "diamond" supposedly hidden in the theater, which unmasks a treasonous political cartoonist, and involves her in the street gangs of Covent Garden and the world of nobility.

Camille's Review

This book is set in the 1700's but this isn't the usual book about the monarchy of England. This book is about an orphan named Cat Royal who has grown up at the Thearte Royal she goes through adventures that most people would not think possible for a girl in that time period.

By the end of the first book you'll want to read the whole series. :)

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Point Blank - Anthony Horowitz

2012-01-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

Point Blank - Horowitz, Anthony

Summary: Alex, a fourteen-year-old spy, has been assigned by the British MI6 to investigate a series of mysterious deaths. He ends up in a boarding school in the Swiss Alps, and finds many strange things are happening to the students.

Elizabeth's Review:
I think it is a good book because of the mystery of what is happening to the students and it seems interesting.

Sati's Review:

Alex Rider is undercover, once again. LOTS of action and suspense in this book. There are several surprises and great turns of events. The book is exiting to read, and fun to recall. This action-packed book/series is a great thriller.

There are ten books in the Alex Rider series, this being the second. All of them are really good, and don't diminish in quality as in other series, a GREAT read!

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Queen of the Falls - Chris Van Allsburg

2012-01-04T17:17:00.000-08:00

Queen of the Falls - Van Allsburg, Chris

Summary: The story of Annie Edson Taylor, who in 1901 decided to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

Eli's Review:

This is a true story about an old woman who really wants a lot of fame, so she decides to get a barrel and go down Niagara Falls. I think this was very well written and it had lots of really good similes. The illustrations are realistic.

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Till death do us bark - Kate Klise

2011-12-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

Till death do us bark - Klise, Kate

Summary: In this story told mostly through letters, Noah Breth's feuding children come to Ghastly, Illinois, to follow a trail of limericks to their inheritance, while Seymour tries to convince Iggy and Olive to let him keep Mr. Breth's dog.

Jace's Review:

A boy found a dog and lied that he owned the dog to his parents. Then he ran away... I think this book is funny, out of the ordinary and interesting. One of the main characters is a ghost. This book is written very creatively and each page is a letter written from one character to another character.

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Magyk - Angie Sage

2011-11-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

Magyk - Sage, Angie

Summary: After learning that she is the Princess, Jenna is whisked from her home and carried toward safety by the Extraordinary Wizard, those she always believed were her father and brother, and a young guard known only as Boy 412--pursued by agents of those who killed her mother ten years earlier.

Kassie's Review

I think all together it was a pretty good book but it was kind of rigorous and boring to read.

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The secret zoo - Bryan Chick

2011-11-01T16:27:00.000-07:00

The secret zoo - Chick, Bryan

Summary: Noah and his friends follow a trail of mysterious clues to uncover a secret behind the walls of the Clarksville City Zoo--a secret that must be protected at all costs.

Jessica's Review

Noah's sister Megan is missing. He thinks it has something to do with the zoo that they live by. Him and his two friends,Ella and Richie, follow clues to find Megan.

It is an awesome book everybody should read it!

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Gossip Girl - Cecily Von Ziegesar

2011-10-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

Gossip Girl: a novel - Cecily Von Ziegesar

Summary: Presents a world of jealousy and betrayal at an exclusive private school in Manhattan.

When the beautiful Serena van der Woodsen returns to Spenford after mysteriously getting kicked out of boarding school, the gossip flies among the privileged students at the Upper East Side private high school.

Rachaelle's Review:

This book will keep you hooked in until the very end.

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Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead

2011-10-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

Vampire Academy - Mead, Richelle

Summary: Two years after a horrible incident made them run away, vampire princess Lissa and her guardian-in-training Rose are found and returned to St. Vladimir's Academy, where one focuses on mastering magic, the other on physical training, while both try to avoid the perils of gossip, cliques, gruesome pranks, and sinister plots.

Rachaelle's Review:

This book allows you to visualize the strength of friendship throughout the world.

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Pretty little liars - Sara Shepard

2011-10-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Pretty little liars - Shepard, Sara
Summary: When one of their tightly-knit group mysteriously disappears, four high school girls find their friendship difficult to maintain when they begin receiving taunting messages from someone who seems to know everything about their past and present secrets.

Rachaell's Review:
I think the author always puts an interesting twist towards the end drawing the reader's attention.

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Fang - James Patterson

2011-10-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

Fang - Patterson, James

Summary: When Max and the Flock discover an unscrupulous scientist who is experimenting on humans in an effort to "improve" the human race, they decide that they must try to stop him, in spite of Angel's prediction about Fang dying.

Michelle's Review:
This book is the most action-packed, page turning sort of book in the whole series so far.
You must read all of the other books in the series before this one.

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Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets - J.K. Rowling

2011-10-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets - Rowling, J.K.

Summary: When the Chamber of Secrets is opened again at the Hogswart School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, second-year student Harry Potter finds himself in danger from a dark power that has once more been released on the school.

Sophia's Review

If you loved the movies, you will love the book even more. I would recommend this book to a person who loves a book that keeps you guessing or has a dramatic twist at the end.

The beginning of the book might be a little slow, but it gets better at the middle and end.

Travis's Review
I like this book a lot you should read it.

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Diary of a wimpy kid: The ugly truth - Jeff Kinney

2011-10-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

Diary of a wimpy kid: The ugly trugh - Kinney, Jeff

Summary: While trying to find a new best friend after feuding with Rowley, middle-school slacker Greg Heffley is warned by older family members that adolescence is a time to act more responsibly and to think seriously about his future.

Angie's Review

It's really easy to read.Its funny. I like that the book has a lot of pictures. If you don't like to read long books this is not a really long book.

You should read the whole collection of the books. And read them in order that way you can understand it better.

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Diary of a wimpy kid - Jeff Kinney

2011-10-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

Diary of a wimpy kid - Kinney, Jeff

Summary: Greg records his sixth grade experiences in a middle school where he and his best friend, Rowley, undersized weaklings amid boys who need to shave twice daily, hope just to survive, but when Rowley grows more popular, Greg must take drastic measures to save their friendship.

Lizette's Review

This is about a kid going into junior high and he has a friend who embarrasses him and he tries to fit in with the popular kids. You should read it because its funny.

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The black pearl - Scott O'Dell

2011-10-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

The black pearl - O'Dell, Scott

Summary: In claiming as his own the magnificent black pearl he finds, a sixteen-year-old youth enrages the sea devil who legend says is its owner.

Jared's Review

It is about a guy that finds a pearl. He tried to sell it, but no one could pay enough for it, so they donate it to a church. His father's boat sunk when he was looking for pearls because of a storm. He was hoping, since he donated his pearl to the church, that his father would be saved.

This is the same author that wrote Island of the Blue Dolphins.

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Maximum Ride: School's out forever - James Patterson

2011-10-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Maximum Ride: School's out forever - Patterson, James

Summary: After a short stay with an FBI agent who gives them a chance to attend school and live a normal life, the six genetically-altered, winged youths head toward Florida and Max's ultimate destiny--to save the world, whether she wants to or not.

Sierra's Review

Angel is a 6 year old girl that can communicate with her mind and can breathe under water. It was especially helpful when sharks were going to attack her and she told them to go away.

I liked School's Out Forever better than Angel Experiment because it was more suspenseful. One of my favorite parts was when Max had to fight the "cloned" Max.

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The old man and the sea - Ernest Hemingway

2011-09-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

The old man and the sea - Hemingway, Ernest

Summary: Hemingway's triumphant yet tragic story of an old Cuban fisherman and his relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream combines the simplicity of a fable, the significance of a parable, and the drama of an epic.

Deja's Review

Go with the old man on a very adventurous fishing journey. This book shows you what it is like to be a fisherman, through both good and tough times.

This book explanes a lot about fishing, but knowledge of the sport may be helpful.

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Maximum Ride: the angle experiment - James Patterson

2011-09-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

Maximum Ride: the angle experiment – Patterson, James

Summary: After the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "birdkids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose.

Miranda's Review:
In The Angel Experiment we meet Max and he flock of friends Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Angel the are humans but are also 2% bird .There mission in life is to stick together and stay alive. But the scientists who created them want them back and will stop at nothing to find them and bring them back to the School.If you like adventure and humor and a little science you will love Max and her friends.
This is a six book set you don't have to have read the first to understand whats going on but to understand the characters and how the relate to each other it's best to start from the top.

Camille's Review:
I am totally obsessed with this series! The plot keeps you on the edge of your seat and you are always wondering what will happen next.
The way the author tells the story makes you not want to put the book down.
If you want to read this book you have to be able take intense and fast action scenes. You also need to read the books in order because if you don't it may get confusing.

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Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone - J.K. Rowling

2011-09-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone - Rowling, J.K.

Summary: Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.

Sky's Review

Its great! Not my favorite, but a good read. Exciting and intriguing.

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Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

2011-09-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

Twilight - Meyer, Stephenie

Summary: When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human.

Amanda's Review:
Really good but not something everyone would love. If you like romance novels then this is a good book for you.

Cassandra's Review:

It is really really good. I think one of the best vampire novels I have read in a very long time, it completely blows all sterotypical knowledge about vampires out the window.

Be prepared to choose sides and beware that lack of sleep is involved when reading this. Caution: Don't daydream about sparkly vampires while driving, it can be a hazardous to your health.

Rachaell's Review:
When picked this book up I couldn't stop reading! It's so amazing!

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Trickster's choice - Tamora Pierce

2011-09-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

Trickster's choice - Pierce, Tamora

Summary: Alianne must call forth her mother's courage and her father's wit in order to survive on the Copper Isles in a royal court rife with political intrigue and murderous conspiracy.

Sky's Review

This a a really good adventurous book. It is about a girl named Aly, (Lady Alannas daughter if you read the previous series,) who gets kidnapped by pirates and is sold as a slave to a family called the Balitangs. Kyprioth (the trickster god,) makes her a deal. She protects the chilren for the summer, and she will get set free. Sounds easy enough, right? I guess youll just have to find out. Aly embarks in an adventure much bigger than she thought, and comes upon a plot that just might make her job harder.

Isabel's Review
I really liked this book because Tamora Pierce made her characters seem very realistic. What makes Aly so interesting is that she keeps a cool head and has fun at the same time. If you want something that you won't want to put down, choose Trickster's Choice.

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The lost hero - Rick Riordan

2011-09-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

The lost hero - Riordan, Rick

Summary: Jason, Piper, and Leo, three students from a school for "bad kids," find themselves at Camp Half-Blood, where they learn that they are demigods and begin a quest to free Hera, who has been imprisoned by Mother Earth herself.

Nathan's Review
This book is based on Greek mythology, occasionally mixing in Roman names for gods. A new prophecy is issued and three demigods with special powers need to save the queen of the heavens for the king of the giants.
This is a great book with lots of action and suspense. Rick Riordan continues to mine Greek myths for the basis of his stories. I don't know how the next book that he's writing in this series is going to top this awesome book.

Lino's Review

The Lost Hero is a good book for children by the ages of 8-15 to read. This book is about a boy named Jason who finds himself in a bus holding hands with a girl named Piper. Jason doesn't know who he is or where.

You need to know some stories of the Greek and Roman gods. Rick Riordan really elaborates the rest of the other stories in his past series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, to this series, The Heroes of Olympus.

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Palace beautiful - Sarah DeFord Williams

2011-09-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

Palace beautiful - Williams, Sarah DeFord

Summary: After her move in 1985 to Salt Lake City, thirteen-year-old Sadie finds a journal in a hidey-hole in the attic, and along with her sister and new friend she reads about the influenza epidemic of 1918.

Haley's Review

I think this book appeals to readers who like mystery books. It is about two sisters and their friend who find a diary in their attic about a girl named Helen. As they read more and more of the diary, they discover the tragic story of Helen 's life. I was a really good book.

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Come a stranger - Cynthia Voigt

2011-09-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

Come a stranger - Voigt, Cynthia

Summary: Mina's deep love for a grown-up minister drives her to seek a way to give him an unforgettable remembrance--restoration of his faith.

Angela's Review

Come a Stranger is about Mina Smith, a ballerina who recieves a scholarship to ballet camp. She has a strong passion for dance and is thrilled to be accepted to ballet camp, however she must "face her feelings about being black" and later she changes her passion to Tamer Shipp, the summer minister at her church. Her new friendship leads to new self-awareness of who Mina really is.

This book is a really good summer reading book and a fast read, I couldn't put it down. All of Cynthia Voigt's novels are very well-written and have a strong message about life, family, and community.

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The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

2011-09-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

The Hound of the Baskervilles - Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir

Summary: Unconvinced that there are beasts in the moors near the Baskerville home, the new heir to the family estate turns to Sherlock Holmes and his assistant, Dr. Watson, to find out who is behind the mysterious death of his uncle. - (Baker & Taylor)

Ben's Review:

An evil murder happens on the moor at Baskerville Hall. And the murderer is a big black menacing hound. Sherlock Holmes & his aid & friend Dr. Watson looks into the case.

This book might be a bit scary but it's full of suspense. :)

You need to know Sherlock & Watson & it's good to read some of his earlier cases.

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Masterpiece - Elise Broach

2011-09-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

Masterpiece - Broach, Elise

Summary: After Marvin, a beetle, makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for James, a human with whom he shares a house, the two new friends work together to help recover a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Diana's Review:

The book is fun because the roach is like the town's hero but he knows or thinks that his family won't accept him how he is.

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Forge - Laurie Halse Anderson

2011-09-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

Forge - Anderson, Laurie Halse

Summary: Separated from his friend Isabel after their daring escape from slavery, fifteen-year-old Curzon serves as a free man in the Continental Army at Valley Forge until he and Isabel are thrown together again, as slaves once more.

Riley's Review:

This book tells the reader some historic moments. It is about a African American slave that is in the army for freedom.

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Wicked: A pretty little liars novel - Sara Shepard

2011-09-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

Wicked: A pretty little liars novel - Shepard, Sara

Summary: The stalker's identity has finally been revealed, but Spencer, Emily, Hanna and Aria are bound to repeat the past, and continue to be bad.

Sophie's Review:

I think its a really good book that you can't put down. Once you start reading it it holds your interest the whole way through. I recommend it. Its a mystery drama that has a little bit of thrill to it.

Its part scary part thriller part happy but don't read it if you're easily scared.

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Night whispers - Erin Hunter

2011-09-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Night whispers - Hunter, Erin

Summary: As Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovepaw continue to seek answers to the mysterious prophecy that binds them, they learn that another cat may play an essential role in defeating the Dark Forces.

Crystal's Review:

This book is really addicting. Its about three warrior cats that are part of a prophecy given to their leader Firestar . As all 4 cat clans are told they must stand alone and prepare to fight who they think are other clan cats their ancestors from star clan (heaven for cats) predicts something far worse.

This book is a series that requires you to read all the past books in the series. It will get confusing if you do not know who the main characters in each clan are...enjoy!!

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Eragon - Christopher Paolini

2011-09-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

Eragon - Paolini, Christopher

Summary: In Aagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.

Crystal's Review:
I think this book is about a young boy (Eragon) who loses everything on account of finding his dragon and as he begins to go farther into his adventure to avenge his enemy's ,for killing his uncle, he creates a bond with new people and Saphira (his dragon).

This book is a part of a series.You will get addicted to this book. It's those kinds of books that if you skip to the second book without reading the first you will be confused the whole book. I LOVE THIS SERIES!!

Sati's Review:
The book has lots of action and suspense, along with quite a bit of mystery. It is an exiting book of fantasy and adventure. Magic and intrigue are woven into this spectacular book.

The book is long, and you will easily get sucked in. Make sure you have the time to read it, 'cause you'll want to!

Jodie's Review:

This is an all around good book. It is a little confusing at times. In order to read it you should like fiction. It is somewhat like Harry Potter. Also it has a few different story lines that all end up related somehow.

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Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

2011-09-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Mockingjay - Collins, Suzanne

Summary: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. A revolution is unfolding, and it is up to Katniss to accept responsibility for countless lives and to change the course of the future of Panem.

Kassie's Review:

This is a thrilling book that always keeps you on your toes. You feel like the characters become your friends and whatever feeling they feel, you feel as well! It's a pretty easy read and has an awesome plot.

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Wringer - Jerry Spinelli

2011-09-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Wringer - Spinelli, Jerry

Summary: As Palmer comes of age, he must either accept the violence of being a wringer at his town's annual Pigeon Day or find the courage to oppose it.

Andrea's Review

I don't really like the book because it kills too much birds.

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The lightning thief - Rick Riordan

2011-09-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

The lightning thief - Riordan, Rick

Summary: Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson learns he is a demigod, the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea. His mother sends him to a summer camp for demigods where he and his new friends set out on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.

Arius's Review:
I think it's a really good book and it makes you want to read more and more. In the book, Percy Jackson is living with this old dude and his mom and he has his friend who is a ...(you have the read the rest to find out).

You don't really need to know anything to read this book. The book explains the Greek Mythology parts.

Kai's Review:
This is a great book for fifth through eighth graders. I really enjoyed this book, and I am sure you will too. It is about Greek Mythology, but it adds a bit of the twenty first century into it.
Read all of the books in the series. They keep getting better and better!

David's Review:

I thought it was a good book for people who love comedy, action, and Greek mythology.

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Across a hundred mountains - Reyna Grande

2011-08-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

Across a hundred mountains - Grande, Reyna

Summary: Leaving her small Mexico hometown after years of caring for her mother, Juana Garcia embarks on a search for the father who disappeared nineteen years earlier and teams up with Adelina Vasquez, who left her family to pursue forbidden love. 25,000 first printing. - (Baker & Taylor)

Esmeralda's Review

This book gives you a picture of how difficult it is for people who cross the border. People, memories are left behind and suffering is the consequence. Not everything turns out to be perfect.

The book has two main characters; Juana and Adelina. They each have their own story. Don't get confused towards the middle, just keep on reading and you will understand.

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A mango-shaped space: a novel - Wendy Mass

2011-08-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

A mango-shaped space: a novel - Mass, Wendy

Summary: Afraid that she is crazy, thirteen-year-old Mia, who sees a special color with every letter, number, and sound, keeps this a secret until she becomes overwhelmed by school, changing relationships, and the death of her beloved cat, Mango.

Emma's Review

I thought it was a great book. I love the way the author introduces you to something new (synesthesia) without making the book sound scientific.

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The time pirate - Ted Bell

2011-08-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

The time pirate - Bell, Ted

Summary: It's 1940 and the Nazis are invading Nick's beloved home, the British Channel Islands. So Nick takes to the skies: He has discovered an old World War One fighter plane in an abandoned barn. Determined to learn to fly, he is soon risking life and limb to photograph armed German minelayers and patrol boats, and executing incredibly perilous bombing raids over Nazi airfields at night. Meanwhile, the evil pirate Captain Billy Blood, still desperate to acquire Nick's time machine, returns to Greybeard Islands, kidnaps Nick's sister, Kate, and transports her back to Port Royal, Jamaica, in the year 1781.--From publisher's description.

Riley's Review:

This story is about a young 12 year old boy named Nick. He has a time machine that can take him back to famous wars and places. In this book he finds his father's old World War 1 airplane. He helps win 2 world Wars at the same time. He also has to find and kill his old arch enemy called Cpt. Blood.

The book has a lot of other books in the same series. You need to like war stories and time traveling.

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The giver - Lois Lowry

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

The giver - Lowry, Lois

Summary: Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.

Diana's Review:
The book was really really good. It really kept you thinking and wondering about what was going to happen next I really loved it!

Andrea's Review:
It is a really good book but it's hard to understand it. As you keep on reading it it gets interesting.

Ciara's Review:

This book is about a boy named Jonas. In his world, everything had been the same, there were no such things as colors or differences between people, but that changed when he was 12, and he was selected to be the Receiver of memory.He was to have all the terrible and different memories. This book is very confusing and thought provoking.

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Marked - P.C. Cast

2011-07-27T11:26:00.000-07:00

Marked - Cast, P.C.

Summary: The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampires have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampire Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampire friends.

Sindy's Review:

This was a great book. I really enjoyed this book, its full of excitement, darkness and is a book you'll absolutely love.

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Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

2011-07-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

Anna Karenina - Tolstoy, Leo

Summary: Anna Karenina, a beautiful, well-born woman, leaves her prosperous, highly stationed husband for the dashing Count Vronsky, throwing over her place in society for love.

Daniels Review:

Tolstoy does a brilliant job of taking the reader through the minds and thoughts of the characters. He portrays characters, no matter how short their presence, so vividly and realistically. And one gets to know the main characters on what feels like a very personal level. This book is dramatic, humorous, intellectual and delightful. Characters in this book cry, laugh, become mad and change over time.

It's a long read, but if one is willing, it is well worth it.

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The time bike - Jane Langton

2011-07-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

The time bike - Langton, Jane

Summary: Eddy receives a mysterious gift from India, an old-fashioned bike that transports its rider through time.

Lauren's Review:

I thought this book was very interesting because it had a lot of unexpected events in it. For example when he lost one of his prized possessions he got it back. Now you would think that it is over but right when you think that it was over another thing happened. Overall this has been one of the best books I have ever read. I also recommend this book to anybody from 3rd and up. Very interesting and it makes you feel like you are in the story.

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Breaking dawn - Stephenie Meyer

2011-07-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Breaking dawn - Meyer, Stephenie

Summary: Although eighteen-year-old Bella joins the dark but seductive world of the immortals by marrying Edward the vampire, her connection to the powerful werewolf Jacob remains unsevered.

Amber's Review:
This book was my favorite out of the whole Twilight series, but is best for older readers to enjoy.

Charlotte's Review:

So we've all heard of the Twilight series. It's enormously popular. How could you not? So I decided to read it for myself. I'm reviewing the last one because it really struck me. I think this book is terrible. The writing is extremely repetitive. It must describe Edward's "cold", "marble" skin, his "topaz" eyes, how enormously perfect looking he is in every way, at least a dozen times. Also, the characters are flat. Edward's handsome, Alice likes shopping, Bella's clumsy, Emmet's strong, et cetera. There's no depth whatsoever to the characters. There's no plot. It's predictable. It's badly written. It's just stupid. Read it if you want, but don't expect literature.

It's fairly important you read the rest of the series before reading this. It'll explain quite a bit. If you've read the first three (Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse), you'll understand (though not necessarily enjoy) Breaking Dawn more.

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How to train your dragon - Cressida Cowell

2011-07-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

How to train your dragon: the heroic misadventures of Hiccup the Viking - Cowell, Cressida

Summary: Chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon.

Rebekka's Review:

This book was not very interesting to me. The plot was not well written and the characters were predictable. (this is all in my opinion it is not necessarily true for you). It is not at all like the movie.

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Walk two moons - Sharon Creech

2011-07-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

Walk two moons - Creech, Sharon

Summary: After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.

Kiara's Review

13 year old Salamanca Tree Hiddle is proud to be in Idaho with her grandparents. Phoebe is her best friend now and she has a lot of stories to tell Phoebe. But she doesn't want to hear them.

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINING!

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Avalon High - Meg Cabot

2011-06-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Avalon High - Cabot, Meg

Summary: Having moved to Annapolis, Maryland, with her medievalist parents, high school junior Ellie enrolls at Avalon High School where several students may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court.

Miranda's Review:
I really liked Avalon High because it takes a well known story and put a new spin on it.It is exciting and at times you fear for their lives.Elaine is a really cool character because she wants to protect Will from the inevitable.

If you saw the movie and hated it,read the book the movie was based on because the book was very different and way better. If you loved the movie read the book it will be like reading a different story altogether. Loved it!

Maricruz's Review:

This book is really good because it has all the things a book needs to be good. For example, it has humor, suspense, and romance. It is not a chick book, anyone can read it.

Make sure you don't read it too late because you won't want to put it down.

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Peak - Roland Smith

2011-06-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

Peak - Smith, Roland

Summary: A fourteen-year-old boy attempts to be the youngest person to reach the top of Mount Everest.

Kiara's Review

Well the book is about a boy who climbed a skyscraper in NY and goes in jail. He is bailed from his dad that he doesn't even know. They go to Nepal to climb Mt. Everest with his dad and a bunch of his dad's friends. his dad is a famous climber.

Loved it!

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Cicada Summer - Andrea Beaty

2011-06-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Cicada Summer - Beaty, Andrea

Summary: Twelve-year-old Lily mourns her brother, and has not spoken since the accident she feels she could have prevented, but the summer Tinny comes to town she is the only one who realizes Lily's secret.

Hannah's Review

I think this book is really good for my age because a girl is struggling through hard times and lots of people help her out.

This book is great for most people but it is sort of sad.

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The magicians: a novel - Lev Grossman

2011-04-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

The magicians: a novel - Grossman, Lev

Summary: Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A senior in high school, he’s still secretly preoccupied with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child, set in a magical land called Fillory. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the craft of modern sorcery.

He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. Something is missing, though. Magic doesn’t bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he dreamed it would. After graduation he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real. But the land of Quentin’s fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he could have imagined. His childhood dream becomes a nightmare with a shocking truth at its heart.

At once psychologically piercing and magnificently absorbing, The Magicians boldly moves into uncharted literary territory, imagining magic as practiced by real people, with their capricious desires and volatile emotions. Lev Grossman creates an utterly original world in which good and evil aren’t black and white, love and sex aren’t simple or innocent, and power comes at a terrible price.

Chloe's Review

This book is great for anyone and everyone who ever loved fantasy books as a kid or wished they could have magic powers. It's interesting, it's unique, and it has a new surprise around every corner.

Love It

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A great and terrible beauty - Libba Bray

2011-04-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

A great and terrible beauty - Bray, Libba

Summary: After the suspicious death of her mother in 1895, sixteen-year-old Gemma returns to England, after many years in India, to attend a finishing school where she becomes aware of her magical powers and ability to see into the spirit world.

Booklist Reviews

Gr. 8-12. Gemma Doyle is no ordinary nineteenth-century British teenager; she has disturbing visions. Upon finding the diary of a young student who was also a visionary of sorts, Gemma and three classmates, each of whom, like Gemma, has a personal demon to overcome, follow the diarist's lead and travel into the Realms, a place of both joy and danger. The jacket, a photo of a young woman in a tightly laced corset and lacy camisole, bespeaks a steamy love story (Gemma does have some sexy dreams about a young gypsy), but the costume is really a metaphor for the strictures against women of the period, which Bray limns extremely well in her debut novel. The Realms and the mystery surrounding the diary are less well handled, yet there's no doubt the mystical elements, along with a touch of forbidden romance, will draw a large, enthusiastic audience, who will come away wanting more about stubborn, willful Gemma and the strange world whose doors she can open at will. ((Reviewed November 15, 2003)) Copyright 2003 Booklist Reviews

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Confessions of a blabbermouth - Mike Carey

2011-03-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

Confessions of a blabbermouth - Carey, Mike

Summary: Tasha Flanigan loves to talk, especially on her blog, and when her mom brings home a creepy boyfriend and his daughter, Tasha can't help but talk about them.

Library Media Connection

This hilarious, British graphic novel chronicles the misadventures of Tasha, a manic blogger whose life is one huge drama. Her divorced mother brings home yet another boyfriend, a hack writer with an exaggerated sense of his own importance. His mysterious daughter, Chloe, starts school with Tasha; the plot thickens from that point on. Reluctantly, Chloe and Tasha work together on the yearbook committee, this year staffed by the 12s instead of the 13s, creating great animosity between the classes. Sylvie and her cronies, who terrorize the school, make their lives miserable. Throw into the mix Ben, a not-quite-yet boyfriend of Tasha's, and mayhem ensues. Mike Carey teams up with his teenage daughter, Louise, to write this very funny scenario. Louise's contribution is very evident in the understanding of the school scene. Alexovich's delightful illustrations with exaggerated, bold strokes and grimacing facial expressions complement the text nicely. The humorous dialogue is quite clever and very funny. Tasha's meanderings on her blog are both a creative outlet and a vent for her intense frustration with her mother's string of boyfriends. Real world situations create a very enjoyable romp through the ups and downs of Tasha's adolescence. Recommended. Susie Nightingale, Library Media Specialist, Santa Fe Trail Junior High School, Olathe, Kansas © 2008 Linworth Publishing, Inc.

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The Second Base Club - Greg Trine

2011-03-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

The Second Base Club - Trine, Greg

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Elroy will do almost anything, from joining the wrestling team to forming a band, in order to get a girlfriend, until he finally realizes the truth of a girl friend's words about being himself.

Kirkus Reviews

Full of gauche guy humor, this coming-of-age tale about a 16-year-old boy's attempts to get to second base (with a girl) takes a while to get going, but once all the plot elements come together, it becomes warm and winning. Elroy isn't exactly sure what second base is, but he knows that he wants to get there. In his quest to answer that ancient question--what do girls want?--Elroy tries wrestling, creating a band and (gasp!) talking to them. Although his efforts have a tendency to misfire, his hard work pays off in other ways, causing him to grow and develop both physically and emotionally. So when his mettle is tested--a group of jocks actually have a second-base club that involves an unsavory secret--Elroy is ready. It's hard to buy that the news of the club hasn't leaked, and the ending feels a tad rushed, but by then the reader is so squarely in Elroy's corner that it really doesn't matter. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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Uglies - Scott Westerfeld

2011-02-09T15:54:00.000-08:00

Uglies - Westerfeld, Scott

Summary: Just before their sixteenth birthdays, when they will will be transformed into beauties whose only job is to have a great time, Tally's best friend runs away and Tally must find her and turn her in, or never become pretty at all.

Booklist Reviews

/*Starred Review*/ Gr. 7-10. Fifteen-year-old Tally's eerily harmonious, postapocalyptic society gives extreme makeovers to teens on their sixteenth birthdays, supposedly conferring equivalent evolutionary advantages to all. When a top-secret agency threatens to leave Tally ugly forever unless she spies on runaway teens, she agrees to infiltrate the Smoke, a shadowy colony of refugees from the "tyranny of physical perfection." At first baffled and revolted by the rebels' choices, Tally eventually bonds with one of their leaders and begins to question the validity of institutionalized mutilation--especially as it becomes clear that the government's surgeons may be doing more than cosmetic nipping and tucking. Although the narrative's brisk pace is more successful in scenes of hover-boarding action than in convincingly developing Tally's key relationships, teens will sink their teeth into the provocative questions about invasive technology, image-obsessed society, and the ethical quandaries of a mole-turned-ally. These elements, along with the obvious connections to reality programs such as Miami Slice, will surely cause this ingenious series debut to cement Westerfeld's reputation for high-concept YA fiction that has wide appeal. Suggest M. T. Anderson's Feed (2002) and Westerfeld's own So Yesterday (2004) to readers antsy for the next installment. ((Reviewed March 15, 2005)) Copyright 2005 Booklist Reviews.

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Dark water - Laura McNeal

2011-01-06T17:00:00.000-08:00

Dark water - McNeal, Laura

Summary: Living in a cottage on her uncle's southern California avocado ranch since her parent's messy divorce, fifteen-year-old Pearl Dewitt meets and falls in love with an illegal migrant worker, and is trapped with him when wildfires approach his makeshift forest home.

Kirkus Reviews

This debut solo effort after several collaborations with husband Tom McNeal (The Decoding of Lana Morris, 2007, etc.) stands out in the crowded coming-of-age field. The affecting narrative springs believably from the first-person thoughts of Pearl DeWitt as she recalls her 15th summer, when, entranced by a nearly mute, illegal Mexican migrant worker, the beautiful and gifted teenage Amiel, Pearl makes choices that lead to tragedy. Evocative language electrifies the scenes between the pair, as they develop a relationship both complicated and deepened by their limited verbal communication. Her warnings to readers of impending disaster amplify rather than diminish the impact of the misguided, wrenching decisions she makes when a raging wildfire sweeps through their rural California community. Besides her poignant relationship with Amiel, Pearl navigates her father's recent abandonment of her and her mother and her complicated relationship with her cousin Robby as he blunderingly deals with his father's apparent infidelity. Notable for well-drawn characters, an engaging plot and, especially, hauntingly beautiful language, this is an outstanding book. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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Behemoth - Scott Westerfeld

2010-12-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

Behemoth - Westerfeld, Scott

Series Title: Leviathan Series

Summary: Continues the story of Austrian Prince Alek who, in an alternate 1914 Europe, eludes the Germans by traveling in the Leviathan to Constantinople, where he faces a whole new kind of genetically-engineered warships.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

The action is nonstop in Westerfeld's thrilling sequel to last year's Leviathan--fans of that book won't be disappointed. It's 1914 in the author's alternate world, the great powers are moving toward full-scale war, and Deryn, still posing as a boy, has found a place as a midshipman aboard the gigantic, living British airship Leviathan as it sails east on its secret mission to Istanbul. When Austria-Hungary enters the conflict, her friend Alek, the runaway heir to that empire, realizes that he must escape from the airship to avoid imprisonment, giving Deryn "a chance not just to help Alek but to change the course of the whole barking war." Battles abound between eccentric fighting machines and even stranger fabricated "beasties" as Deryn and Alek prove their courage and ingenuity while putting themselves in harm's way. This exciting and inventive tale of military conflict and wildly reimagined history should captivate a wide range of readers. Thompson's evocative and detailed spot art (as well as the luridly gorgeous endpapers) only sweetens the deal. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)

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Kiki Strike: inside the shadow city - Kirsten Miller

2010-12-04T16:41:00.000-08:00

Kiki Strike: inside the shadow city - Miller, Kirsten

Summary: Life becomes more interesting for Ananka Fishbein when, at the age of twelve, she discovers an underground room in the park across from her New York City apartment and meets a mysterious girl called Kiki Strike who claims that she, too, wants to explore the subterranean world.

Linda's Review:

Kiki Strike reads like an edgier girl scout manual, full of experiments, disguises, and counterfeiting tips. Miller takes the story over the edge and back again through some outrageous and implausible moments, but these leaps make the plot all the more fun and exciting. A novel for adventurers of all ages.

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The Westing game - Ellen Raskin

2010-11-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

The Westing game - Raskin, Ellen

Summary: The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.

Brooke's Review:

This book was interesting in a way because it makes you think. There are so many mysteries and you start to piece together the answer just to find out that it is wrong. This book was ok. It just was not full of all the action and adventure that I think a mystery book should have.

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Lock and key - Sarah Dessen

2010-11-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

Lock and key - Dessen, Sarah

Summary: When she is abandoned by her alcoholic mother, Ruby winds up living with Cora, the sister she has not seen for ten years, and learns about Cora's new life, what makes a family, and that she too has something to offer others.

Leticia's Review:

I thought this book was interesting. Ruby the main character moves in to her sister's and husband's house that she has not seen for 10 years because their mother had abandoned Ruby, forcing her to live on her own until the police find out. Now at her sister's house Ruby tries to escape but with no luck until she meets Nate. As their relationship grows Ruby soon realizes Nate has a secret of his own.

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Once upon a Marigold - Jean Ferris

2010-11-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

Once upon a Marigold - Ferris, Jean

Summary: A young man with a mysterious past and a penchant for inventing things leaves the troll who raised him, meets an unhappy princess he has loved from afar, and discovers a plot against her and her father.

Nicole's Review:

I loooove this book! The cheesy love story is sooooooo fun to think about. I love how this author writes and how I can just be so easily engrossed in it in just one second! Very entertaining and fun!

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This lullaby - Sarah Dessen

2010-11-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

This lullaby - Dessen, Sarah

Summary: Raised by a mother who's had five husbands, eighteen-year-old Remy believes in short-term, no-commitment relationships until she meets Dexter, a rock band musician.

Leticia's Review:

Remy knows when it time to end a relationship. As she has practiced on the past guys she went out with. She soon starts dating Dexter who is all wrong for her. But, somehow she cannot dump him, it's just something about him that makes her wonder whether she knows love or not.

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Harry Potter and the goblet of fire - J.K. Rowling

2010-11-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the goblet of fire - Rowling, J.K.

Summary: Harry Potter, a fourth-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, longs to escape his hateful relatives, the Dursleys, and live as a normal fourteen-year-old wizard, but what Harry does not yet realize is that he is not a normal wizard, and in his case, different can be deadly.

Cooper's Review:

I think that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is one of the best in the series, it has the perfect amounts of everything, suspense, action, friendship, and it's not too much to be cheesy.

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Into the wild - Erin Hunter

2010-11-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Into the wild - Hunter, Erin

Summary: For generations, four clans of wild cats have shared the forest. When their warrior code is threatened by mysterious deaths, a house cat named Rusty may turn out to be the bravest warrior of all.

Shannon's Review:

I loved the book! It had a great story line. And the book has some thing for everyone. You can't just read it once!!!

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The silver kiss - Annette Curtis Klause

2010-10-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

The silver kiss - Klause, Annette Curtis

Summary: A mysterious teenage boy harboring a dark secret helps Zoe come to terms with her mother's terminal illness.

Sindy's Review:

I think that this book is made for those of us who are into love with a hint of mystery books. This book brought forth emotions that were hidden inside of me, causing me to think about what was really going on around me. But nevertheless this book caught my attention and held it very well until the very end.

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Evermore - Alyson Noel

2010-10-23T15:08:00.000-07:00

Evermore - Noel, Alyson

Summary: Since the car accident that claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras and hear people's thoughts, and she goes out of her way to hide from other people until she meets Damen, another psychic teenager who is hiding even more mysteries.

Leticia's Review:

This book is amazing and mysterious. You should expect the unexpected. The main character Ever moved from her home in Oregon because a terrible accident occurred. She lost her family and now she has to move in with her only other relative, her aunt. She used to be popular but after the accident everything has changed, she can now see everyone's auras and more. Ever feels guilty of what happend so she hides herself with her hoodies, sunglasses, and ipod. But, soon she meets Damen who is impossibly perfect and with a secret she would never believe.

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Max: a Maximum Ride novel - James Patterson

2010-10-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

Max: a Maximum Ride novel - Patterson, James

Summary: When millions of fish start dying off the coast of Hawaii and something is destroying hundreds of ships, the government enlists the Flock--a band of genetically modified children who can fly--to help get to the bottom of the disaster before it is too late.

Samantha's Review:

I loved this book!!! It was an amazing adventure that seriously kept you turning the page until you finished the book! This wild and daring story is filled with action packed scenes, adventure, and so much more.

If you are interested in reading this book, you have to like reading about fast action packed times and sometimes some injury moments. You have to be willing to finish the series this way it all makes sense and to not read them out of order or else it might get confusing.

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As ever, Gordy - Mary Downing Hahn

2010-10-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

As ever, Gordy - Hahn, Mary Downing

Summary: When he and his younger sister move in with their older brother after their grandmother dies, thirteen-year-old Gordy finds himself caught between the boy he was when he lived with his abusive father and the boy his grandmother was helping him become.

Carmen's Review:

This book is about a boy (Gordy) who lives with his grandmother ever since his abusive father took his mom and three younger brothers to California. He expects that he will never have to go back to College Hill, the place that he and his family were known as poor white trash. And why should he? He's happy, has friends, and for the first time in his life, he isn't living in fear. But in a turn of events that no one expected, he finds himself back in his nightmare, College Hill.

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Sandry's book - Tamora Pierce

2010-10-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

Sandry's book - Pierce, Tamora

Summary: Four young misfits find themselves living in a strictly disciplined temple community where they become friends while also learning to do crafts and to use their powers, especially magic.

Sara's Review:

It is a great story of four young adults coming together and becoming part of each others' lives with a magical twist to it.

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Everything beautiful - Simmone Howell

2010-10-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Everything beautiful - Howell, Simmone

Summary: When sixteen-year-old Riley unwillingly attends a religious summer camp, she forms a deep bond with another camper who happens to be wheelchair bound.

Leticia's Review:

In this book you will read about a girl her name is Riley. She was forced to go to this Christian camp for a week. Riley does not believe in God but in chocolate. As she stays there she meets some unkind teens and a crippled boy who will change her perspective.

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Prom - Laurie Halse Anderson

2010-10-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Prom - Anderson, Laurie Halse

Summary: Eighteen-year-old Ash wants nothing to do with senior prom, but when disaster strikes and her desperate friend, Nat, needs her help to get it back on track, Ash's involvement transforms her life.

Maddy's Review:

I thought that Prom was a very fun and interesting quick read! I only put the book down when I had to go to sleep and I couldn't wait to hear what happened at the end.

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Running with scissors: a memoir - Augusten Burroughs

2010-10-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

Running with scissors: a memoir - Burroughs, Augusten

Summary: Running with scissors is the true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her unorthodox psychiatrist who bore a striking resemblance to Santa Claus. At the age of twelve, Burroughs found himself amidst Victorian squalor living with the doctor's bizarre family, and befriending a pedophile who resided in the backyard shed. The story of an outlaw childhood where rules were unheard of, and the Christmas tree stayed up all year round, where Valium was consumed like candy and if things got dull an electroshock-therapy machine could provide entertainment. The funny, harrowing and bestselling account of an ordinary boy's survival under the most extraordinary circumstances.

Audrey's Review:

I thought this was an amazing memoir about a young boy's journey through childhood while living with an abusive mother and an adopted family who have no sense of morals, and have beliefs such as "insulting each other is healthy, because it allows us to release our feelings in a healthy manner."

You need to be able to handle it in a mature manner, because there are a lot of adult themes in this book.

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When it happens - Susane Colasanti

2010-10-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

When it happens - Colasanti, Susane

Summary: High school seniors Sara and Tobey attempt to figure out what is important in life as they try to balance their preparations for their futures with their enjoyment of the present.

Leticia's Review:

I loved this book. Sara finally gets the guy she's been crushing on (Dave) but he's not what she expected him to be. What she doesn't know is that there is another guy who likes her (Tobey) and will do anything to be her boyfriend. She finds this out as she's going out with Dave and gets more interested. She finally makes a decision on who to pick.

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The outsiders - S.E. Hinton

2010-10-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

The outsiders - Hinton, S.E.

Summary: The struggle of three brothers to stay together after their parent's death and their quest for identity among the conflicting values of their adolescent society. When it was first published in 1967, The Outsiders defied convention with its immediate, deeply sympathetic portrayal of Ponyboy and his struggle to find a place for himself in a difficult world.

Claudia's Review:

This book is a great read for people that are a bit over fantasy. This book is cool because it shows you the life of someone that lived in a different decade. The 'realness' of this book is what makes it interesting. It is also a great book about friendship and family.

To read this book you need to know that the name or group called Greasers were a gang/social class that was used to describe the poor. They called them Greasers because they lived in slums and greased their hair. You also need to know that Socs (sowsh) is short for socials and is also a gang/ social class. They represent the rich kids and are considered snobby brats.

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Magyk - Angie Sage

2010-10-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

Magyk - Sage, Angie

Brooke's Review:

This book was amazing!!! It was really exciting, just like the rest of the series. There is so much "magyk" and adventure. It is a really fun book.

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The Sea of Trolls - Nancy Farmer

2010-10-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

The Sea of Trolls - Farmer, Nancy

Summary: After Jack becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard, he and his little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken to the home of King Ivar the Boneless and his half-troll queen, leading Jack to undertake a vital quest to Jotunheim, home of the trolls.

Max's Review:

This book is set in a period around 400 A.D. It tells about a boy named Jack, who is trained by the local Bard in small magic. Shortly after the Bard loses his wits when he is attacked by a Nightmare, sent by the evil Queen Frith Half-Troll, Jack and his young sister Lucy are captured by Northmen Berserkers, or Vikings. Then Jack goes on a quest to find Mirmir's Well to save Lucy from the queen.

This book is very well written, and the author perfectly describes the Old Gods of the Northmen and their legends.

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The foreshadowing - Marcus Sedgwick

2010-10-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

The foreshadowing - Sedgwick, Marcus

Summary: Having always been able to know when someone is going to die, Alexandra poses as a nurse to go to France during World War I to locate her brother and to try to save him from the fate she has foreseen for him.

Kayc's Review:

The book really interesting and gave the reader a closer look at the life of a nurse during World War I. The main character's "curse" was an interesting part of the story that really grabbed my attention and built the conflict. I really enjoyed reading this book especially because it brought a new perspective to nursing for the military, something I would like to do.

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Molly Moon stops the world - Georgia Byng

2010-10-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Molly Moon stops the world - Byng, Georgia

Summary: Believing that she has been sent to Los Angeles by her librarian friend, Lucy Logan, to stop an evil plot by the wealthy Primo Cell, Molly Moon and her friend Roger, orphans with unusual hypnotic powers, find themselves in danger from an unsuspected source.

Daven's Review:

This book was amazing! You just never want to stop. You can't because you must know how it ends. I know when I was reading it, it was like time flew by. I would read from first thing in the morning until late at night!

In order to read this book you need to have read the first Molly Moon. There is a 4 book series.

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Al Capone - Diane Yancey

2010-10-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

Al Capone - Yancey, Diane

Summary: The legendary Chicago gangster has long been held up as a powerful and merciless man, capable of doing away with anyone who got in his way. From his days on the Brooklyn wharves to his ascendancy into head boss status, Capone is characterized through his actions and primary-source information. Yancey presents a chronological telling of his life, including his not-so-well-known benevolence, and includes excerpts from some well-known adult books.

Lianne's Review:

"Al Capone" is a biography about a famous gangster in the Depression. The book talks about his childhood, job, and family without getting too violent. After reading this book, you can see that Capone wasn't all bad or all good. This book explains the time period and people so you don't get confused.

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The view from Saturday - E.L. Konigsburg

2010-10-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

The view from Saturday - Konigsbur, E.L.

Summary: Four students, with their own individual stories, develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a paraplegic, who chooses them to represent their sixth-grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.

Hannah Ruth's Review:

This is a very good book, and despite it being written for children, it is so clever and deep that I'm sure even adults would enjoy it. The story is about four 6th graders who call themselves The Souls. They compete together in an Academic Bowl in which they must answer interesting questions such as "What is the meaning of the word calligraphy and from what language does it derive?" The reader gains insight into each of The Souls' lives as the author illustrates how each of them came to know the answers to the questions.

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Eldest - Paolini, Christopher

2010-10-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

Eldest - Paolini, Christopher

Summary: After successfully evading an Urgals ambush, Eragon is adopted into the Ingeitum clan and sent to finish his training so he can further help the Varden in their struggle against the Empire.

Michelle's Review:

Great book for those that love adventure and fantasy. In this book, Eragon and Saphira's adventures take them to Ellesmera, home of the elves, where they are both tutored by an older Rider and his mutilated dragon, Glaedr. Roran reappears in this book, as well as the witch Angela, the female elf Arya, and several dwarfs from the first book. More dragon history comes to light, as well as elf, Rider, and dwarf. This book is slightly darker than the first, but will leave you excited for the third book, Brisingr.

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The remnant: on the brink of Armageddon - Tim F. LaHaye

2010-09-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

The remnant: on the brink of Armageddon - LaHaye, Tim F.

Summary: While a million people converge on the ancient city of Petra in preparation for the "Glorious Appearing," the Global Community begins to bomb the city, while believers elsewhere in the world face martyrdom at the hands of the Antichrist.

Jaclyn's Review:

This book talks about the final war of mankind that is held at Armageddon. This fiction story is based upon the Bible as written in the book of Revelation.

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Red-hot hightops - Matt Christopher

2010-09-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Red-hot hightops - Christopher, Matt

Summary: Kelly is a great basketball player, so long as she doesn't have to perform in front of a crowd. But after finding a pair of red hightop sneakers in her locker, she suddenly becomes a confident, aggressive, and slightly wild player. Everyone attributes the change to the new sneakers. Are they hexed? Kelly thinks so, and she begins to doubt her ability to play without them, even though they cause trouble with teammates and opponents. The author throws in clues to implicate many of Kelly's friends and the coach as the anonymous sneaker doner, but many of them are dead ends contrived to make this slight plot into a sports story with a mystery angle. There's also a little suspense.

Miles' Review:

I liked this book because it was like a detective book, which surprised me. The main character didn't know who had given her the red hot hightops, but she was determined to find out who gave them to her. It is hard for her to sleep because the question is always nagging at her.

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The lost symbol: a novel - Dan Brown

2010-09-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

The lost symbol: a novel - Brown, Dan

Summary: Symbologist Robert Langdon, summoned to Washington, D.C. by his mentor, finds himself plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and secret locations--all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

Sati's Review:

This fantastic novel was full of suspense and thrills. It had well developed characters, and a great plot. The book taught me one aspect of U.S history. Robert Langdon is called upon to give a lecture in Washington D.C, but it doesn't turn out as he expected. He races to uncover the truth and find his friend before time runs out!

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Love, Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli

2010-09-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

Love, Stargirl - Spinelli, Jerry

Summary: Still moping months after being dumped by her Arizona boyfriend Leo, fifteen-year-old Stargirl, a home-schooled free spirit, writes "the world's longest letter" to Leo, describing her new life in Pennsylvania.

Tyler's Review:

I think this book is a great read if you are looking for a conflict resolution story. This book really creates emotions in you while you read it. From sad, to happy, curious and angry. The author really creates a character that seems real and that you as the reader can relate to.

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The revenge of the McNasty brothers - Greg Trine

2010-09-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

The revenge of the McNasty brother - Trine, Greg

Summary: As Melvin and Candace continue their crime-fighting work as superheroes, the McNasty Brothers, the McNasty Sisters, and the school bullies all plot to get even with them.

Karina's Review:

The book was fun and funny. It is kind of confusing but interesting... I liked the book especially because the superheros worked together and shared the capes. I also liked when a little rat saved them from the kidnapping. I think it is a good book for kids who like to read about superheros.

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Change-up: mystery at the World Series - John Feinstein

2010-09-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

Change-up: mystery at the World Series - Feinstein, John

Summary: While covering baseball's World Series between the Washington Nationals and the Boston Red Sox, teenage sports reporters Stevie and Susan Carol investigate a rookie pitcher whose evasive answers during an interview reveal more than a few contradictions in his life story.

Deja's Review:

This book is about two fourteen year old reporters who discover the mystery of Norbert Doyle, a pitcher for the Washington Nationals, while reporting at the World Series. Loved it!

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Gone - Michael Grant

2010-09-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Gone - Grant, Michael

Summary: In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have "The Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.

Emma's Review:

It's a GREAT series. Full of action and adventure, it's sure to please anyone! Basically, everyone over 14 is gone. I can't tell you much, otherwise it will spoil it! There's 3 books so far, GONE, HUNGER, and LIES. Upcoming books feature: PLAGUE, DARKNESS, and LIGHT. Anyway, GREAT read.

There's lot's of suspense, and a few scary parts, but if you love a good adventure/action/sci-fi book this is GREAT. It's also fun to relate to characters your age.

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The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan

2010-09-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

The Sea of Monsters - Riordan, Rick

Summary: Demi-god Percy Jackson and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first Percy will discover a secret that makes him wonder whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or a cruel joke.

Jared's Review:

It has a good story line and is suspenseful, so it makes you want to keep reading. It has good mythological creatures and good battle scenes. This is book number 2 in the Percy Jackson series.

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The devouring - Simon Holt

2010-09-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

The devouring - Holt, Simon

Summary: The existence of Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, becomes a terrifying reality for fifteen-year-old Reggie when she begins to suspect that her timid younger brother might be one of their victims.

Leticia's Review:

I think this book was ok. It's not the usual kind of book I read but it was interesting. It's mainly about the evil things there are in this so called world we live in. Reggie found a book about Vours (a kind of spirit possessing your body). Once she found out it was true nothing but bad things starts happening. As she uncovers the secrets of these creatures, her brother Henry starts acting strange and might possibly become a killer.

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12 again - Sue Corbett

2010-09-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

12 again - Corbett, Sue

Summary: When an overburdened journalist mom makes an idle wish while drinking a special cordial, she wakes up the next morning as her twelve-year-old self and needs her son's help surviving middle school and getting back to her family. This many-layered tale of magic across generations gives the term coming-of-age fascinating new meaning.

Marcela's Review:

This book was very meaningful and it showed that the bond between a parent and child never goes away even if one of them is dead or disappears. One way or another they will understand each other and they will help each other if they need to.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it was a mysterious and unusual story and I like that in a book.

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Eye of the crow - Shane Peacock

2010-09-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Eye of the crow - Peacock, Shane

Summary: A woman is found stabbed to death in London. A young boy is drawn to the scene to investigate the murder and becomes a suspect himself.

Jonathan's Review:

Eye of the Crow is a wonderful prequel to the Sherlock Holmes series; it not only delivers a wonderful mystery, but it also explains some of Sherlock Holmes' odd behaviors and habits.

Before you read this be sure that you are fairly acquainted with Sherlock Holmes; maybe read a few of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories.

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Sex, lies, and online dating - Rachel Gibson

2010-09-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

Sex, lies, and online dating - Gibson, Rachel

Summary: Tired of finding nothing but losers during her Internet dates, Lucy Rothschild finally finds the man of her dreams in Quinn, a man claiming to be a plumber but who is really an undercover cop hunting a serial killer.

Lisset's Review:

Sex, lies and online dating is a great combination of romance and a touch of mystery. It also keeps you wondering without boring you to tears. Overall it is a fantastic book. I highly recommend it.

This book is adult level so you have to be able to handle the more intimate scenes.

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Dark flame - Alyson Noel

2010-09-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

Dark flame - Noel, Alyson

Summary: As her friendship with Haven becomes strained after Haven abuses her new powers as an immortal, Ever delves into the dangerous world of dark magick to free her beloved Damen from Roman's power.

Leticia's Review:

I love this book. One of the best in the Immortal series, it makes you want more. But what suprises me is that just when you think something wonderful is about to happen, the almost wonderful ending turns into a new twisted journey for the characters. I can't wait for Night Star and the final book in 2011. Ever almost gets the antidote for Damen but Jude interferes out of jealousy or as a mistake?

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Blue Moon - Alyson Noel

2010-09-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Blue Moon - Noel, Alyson

Summary: Eager to learn everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, Ever turns to her beloved Damen to show her the way, but just as her powers are increasing, his are in decline, and as she searches for a way to save him, she finds herself with a wrenching choice to make.

Leticia's Review:

Just when you think Ever has her unbelievable boyfriend and becomes immortal, this will soon change into something terrible. Damen starts to change and sooner or later doesn't even know who Ever is. As she discovers what has happend to Damen, she is forced to make a decision that might end up saving Damen but with a terrible price to pay, or she will let him die to be sent to the shadowland. A heart wrenching decision for Ever.

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Shadowland - Alyson Noel

2010-09-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

Shadowland - Noel, Alyson

Summary: Ever and Damen have traveled through countless past lives and fought off the world's darkest enemies to be together forever, but just as their long-awaited destiny is finally within reach, a powerful curse threatens them.

Leticia's Review:

Amazing book! I think anyone who is into romance should read this book and the series The Immortals. A brief summary: Ever saves Damen but with a terrible price to pay. Ever and Damen can no longer touch for if they do then Damen will die; no DNA contact at all. But there is still a chance Ever can get the antidote to release Damen of this curse. But as Ever tries to get the antidote from Roman she is forced to yet again make a decision of saving her friend or letting her die so she can have her happy ending.

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Heroes of the valley - Jonathan Stroud

2010-09-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

Heroes of the valley - Stroud, Jonathan

Summary: When young Halli Sveinsson plays a trick on Ragnor of the House of Hakonsson, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever alter his destiny, forcing him to leave home and go on a hero's quest where he encounters highway robbers, terrifying monsters, and a girl who may finally be his match.

Brooke's Review:

This book is about a boy who lives in a valley that was settled a very long time ago by "the heroes." There are twelve "houses" in the valley, and everyone belongs to a house. There is a line of cairns that nobody dares to go past because supposedly there are terrible creatures called trows that live up in the marshes. The main character is a boy from Svein's house who is sick of living by the rules of the heroes and wants to be free. He meets a girl from Arne's house and together they go on adventures. Eventually, they come to the decision that they can either stay in the valley, or go past the line of the cairns and risk their lives to possibly find a new land.

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Steel Trapp: the challenge - Ridley Pearson

2010-09-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

Steel Trapp: the challenge - Pearson, RidleySummary: On a two-day train trip to enter his invention in the National Science Competition in Washington, D.C., fourteen-year-old Steven "Steel" Trapp, possessor of a remarkable photographic memory, becomes embroiled in an international plot of kidnapping and bribery that may have links to terrorists.

Miranda's Review:

Steven "Steel" Trapp has a mind like a steel trap thanks to his photographic memory that helps him remember everything. When Steel goes on a trip to the nation's capital he meets a runaway girl, a few spies, and his father, who is more than he seems. Buckle up and get ready for an amazing adventure!

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The prince of shadow - Curt Benjamin

2010-09-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

The prince of shadow - Benjamin, Curt

Summary: In this likable fantasy adventure, the first of a multivolume saga with an Asian flavor (reinforced by the samurai-like warriors on the crude if effective dust jacket), Benjamin often resorts to good luck to pull his hero out of trouble. Llesho is only seven, the youngest of the royal family of Thebin, when the Harn, a fierce and unsophisticated warrior people, murder his sister and parents, the king and queen, and sell him and his six older brothers into slavery. Confined for years to Pearl Island, where he proves himself an adept pearl diver, Llesho doesn't realize his brothers are still alive until the ghost of an elderly adviser appears during a dive and gives him a black pearl, squeezing it into a small bead and inserting it into a dental cavity where it will be undetectable. Mindful of his noble background and yearning to find his brothers, Llesho volunteers for gladiator school as the first step toward freedom. He studies with several teachers who seem to appreciate his special character, but one, Markko, has evil designs on him. The teenage Llesho eventually battles Markko, leads an army and reaches the kingdom of Shan, where he locates two of his brothers in a slave market.

Michelle's Review:

This is very good for lovers of fantasy and Asian culture. In it, a prince named Llesho is taken captive with his six brothers and seperated to be sold as a slave. He becomes a pearl diver until he is fifteen, when he discovers all six brothers are still alive and that he must find them. Because pearl divers are not allowed off the island where he works, Llesho joins the group of gladiators that train on the island. Llesho does get off the island in the end, and continues on his way, illuminating a creative, and, at times, savage, world. It is not set in Asia per se, but in its own world. It is a fascinating read, and will keep you glued to the end.

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Raptor red - Robert T. Bakker

2010-09-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Raptor red - Bakker, Robert

Summary: Revolutionary paleontologist Bakker has written a novel that might be subtitled "A Year in the Life of a Dinosaur," as he tells the story of Raptor Red, a giant carnivore of the Early Cretaceous period. Having lost her mate in a botched hunting attack, Red (so-named because of the red stripe on her snout distinguishing her from other raptor species) joins forces with her sister and her sister's three chicks to survive in a world of hostile natural forces.

Michelle's Review:

This book details the life of a Utahraptor named Raptor Red. She hunts, she fights, she loves... Raptor Red has very human emotions (Helps sister with kids, thinks about past, learns new things, feels sad), broken up by raptor-like emotions (Kill, eat, hunt, mate). There is some bad language, but not much. The writer has the ability to keep you interested, describing the world surrounding Raptor Red. The dinosaurs, the plants, and other creatures all come to life beneath Bakker's pen. It is an amazing ride... if you like dinosaurs.

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Wings - Aprilynne Pike

2010-09-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

Wings - Pike, Aprilynne

Summary: When a plant blooms out of fifteen-year-old Laurel's back, it leads her to discover the fact that she is a faerie and that she has a crucial role to play in keeping the world safe from the encroaching enemy trolls.

Amber's Review:

It's a good book for people who enjoy fantasy. Also anyone who likes a good love story. It has many different themes because there's action and love and adventure and a bunch of stuff. It's also similar to the Twilight series.

The main idea in the book is that what a Faerie is, is wrong. Faeries don't have wings and there is no pixie dust. Instead of wings, faeries grow flowers; they blossom and we mistake those for wings.

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