Faking It by Joseph K. Smith

The Revolutionary War was going on, and Deborah Sampson wanted to fight for her country. Disguised as a man, Deborah became a soldier. Although she experienced many setbacks and close calls, Deborah kept on trying. All through her life, she fought for what she believed in. Deborah gave many speeches and presentations. She inspires many people to be brave and go for their dreams. Deborah is now the official heroine of a state.
Although a wonderful topic, this biography seems to drag. It seems the story could have been more exciting; more of a page-turner. It is more of a narrative about her life than an engaging story. It has no dialog. The timeline was interesting because it showed what was going on in her life during famous historical events. The Introduction, Conclusion, and timeline turned out to be the best parts of the book. Faking It is much shorter than I thought, which could be good or bad depending on the age of the reader. All in all, it is sort of a dull book that I do not highly recommend.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Calhoun, GA USA

Hatshepsut of Egypt by Shirin Yim Bridges

HATSHEPSUT OF EGYPT

Ever since they broke through the walls in Hatshepsut's tomb, people have been wondering about her, and how there could have ever been a female pharaoh. Because weren't pharaohs always males? This story is about a woman who bravely declared herself pharaoh. Why don't we learn more about her in school? You will find out about all of this in this interesting and informative book.


HATSHEPSUT OF EGYPT

Hatshepsut of Egypt is a very good book that I would recommend to GIRLS from the ages of 9-13. The illustrations are well done, and help readers to picture Hatshepsut's times. I thought it was good to learn how she ruled and increased Egypt's treasury. One of the reasons I liked this book is because it shows that women are fit to be rulers. Hatshepsut made plenty of money for Egypt and made peace with others instead of fighting them.

It was fun to read HATSHEPSUT OF EGYPT. It is perfect sized at about 20 pages.



Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rockford, MI USA

Flesh and Blood So Cheap by Albert Marrin

The year: 1911, the month: March. All seemed normal to the
workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, but, almost
out of nowhere, a blazing fire devoured the building,
showing no mercy. But what happened before the fire? What
is the Triangle Shirtwaist factory? This is the story of
the labor workers put in to this facility, the pain
endured as men and women worked 15 hour shifts, and the
tragic events that occurred on March 25, 1911.

As many would tell you, I am not a fan of history. Yet, there is
something hidden inside the covers of "Flesh and Blood So
Cheap" that creates excitement matched only by the fear
felt for the many lives lost in the Triangle Fire. A mix
between straight historic fact and authentic details of
life in the early 1900's, this book is sure to please even
the unsure. I found myself obsessed with this book from
the first chapter. "Flesh and Blood So Cheap" is on its
way to the best-seller list.

About a rather sad topic.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida United States

Wildwing by Emily Whitman

As a young woman of no means in 20th century England, Addy has very few options for her future. When a rich classmate taunts her in school, Addy leaves and becomes the maid of mysterious local man, Mr. Greenwood. While in Mr. Greenwood's house, Addy comes across a time machine in a locked room. She is transported back to the 13th century where she is mistaken for a Lady. Addy is given the chance to live the life of the rich, and she couldn't be happier. But as time passes, she learns that the life of a wealthy lady is just as difficult as hers was. As she comes to this realization, Addy has to make a choice between staying a Lady in the 13th Century or returning back to the future and her family.
As soon as I picked up Wildwing, I got caught up in the story. I'm a huge fan of all historical fiction novels, and this story combined both the 13th and 20th centuries. The idea of time travel made the story more interesting. Addy was a great character to follow and I looked forward to all of her adventures. The only thing that bothered me about the novel was the way it was written; it's better suited for younger readers. But the story was excellent and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Reviewer Age:24
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

Time Riders by Alex Scarrow

Three times in history, a mysterious stranger shows up right before a child was about to die in a disaster. Each time he offers the child a choice: to come with him and live an invisible life, or to stay where they are and die. The three children that accept are taken through time to the year 2001. There they learn about their new job as time riders. They are in charge of keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary that would signify a change in history. If they find one, they must risk life and limb to go back in time and correct the change.  One day, all of a sudden the United States in no longer its own county; it is part of Nazi Germany. The time riders must go back to when the change was made and correct it if they want their world to stay the same.

I thought that this was a good book overall. As far as I know, A. Scarrow came up with a completely original idea and made it into an amazing book. It was easy to identify with the characters; I can see some of the same qualities in myself and my friends. The vocabulary was challenging enough to make the book seem like it was written for teenagers, but not so challenging as to discourage readers. I would definitely recommend this book too. I have a lot of friends who are in to science fiction novels and would enjoy reading through this book just as much as I did. I' d love to see what Scarrow would do with a sequel of this book.

Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Berwyn Heights, Maryland USA