In High Places by Harry Turtledove

In High Places: A Novel of Crosstime Traffic, by Harry Turtledove, is an exciting science-fiction adventure. Khadhija, the daughter of a wealthy Muslim Moorish merchant, is not all that she seems to be, and neither is the world that she is currently in. Khadhija is actually teenager Annette Klein, from the 21st century United States. She and her family are working for Crosstime Traffic, a business that trades merchandise from the alternate timeline- a world where history has taken a different path- to their modern timeline. In this alternate world, Europe is still engulfed in the medieval Dark Ages and greatly contrasts to the “home” timeline. For example, technology is basic, and the Muslims rule and occupy most of Europe, which is disunited into small states. The most significant difference is that in the alternate timeline, slavery still exists without any controversy. Annette and her family are preparing to return to the home timeline, so they travel in a caravan to locate the Crosstime Traffic portal that will send them home. However, bandits capture Annette, her local friend Jacques, and other travelers, and sell them all as slaves. Separated from her family, Annette’s situation becomes even worse: her captors take her and the other slaves and transports them through an unauthorized Crosstime Traffic portal into a land ruled by Khadhija’s own people. She must escape, but it seems as if she will be a slave forever.

In High Places was adventurous and page-turner. The historical analysis was very interesting and this book is perfect for any history buff. It did seem, however, that the author could have addressed the topic of slavery better. The argument made against slavery could have been more complex and powerful. All in all, a good read with an excellent plot, especially on a rainy day.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aurora, Colorado United States

The Center of the World by Andreas Steinhofel

A coming of age story set in a remote mountain range in Germany; Steinhofel weaves the elegant tale of a seventeen-year-old boy named Phil. Although the novel does deal with Phil's sexuality, it primarily illustrates his tumultuous relationship with his unconventional mother, Glass, and reclusive twin sister, Dianne. From the birth of Phil and Dianne by their teenage mother in the prologue of the story, the family occupies a large estate, called Visible, on the outskirts of a socially repressive and ultra-conservative town. The town not only discriminates against Glass because of her promiscuous nature, but they transfer their criticisms to her two children. Therefore, throughout Phil's childhood, he feels ostracized despite his mother's advice to ignore the harshness of the "Little People," or the people who inhabit the town. Phil does discover refuge in the form of a young and vivacious girl named Kat, who becomes his one and only ally. However, despite Phil's seeming acceptance of his sexuality, he does not believe that his family or his friends would approve of his relationship with a charming and attractive runner, named Nicholas, who becomes his first boyfriend. The novel is written in a first-person narrative with intermittent flashbacks that describe the roots of Phil’s personality.

Steinhofel's greatest accomplishment is that he portrays homosexual relationships as the equivalent of heterosexual relationships. By demonstrating that the journey toward self-discovery of a young gay man is the same as that of a young straight man, Steinhofel shows that discriminatory views on homosexuality are completely unfounded. In addition to vividly depicting Visible’s breathtaking surroundings, his crisp and graceful prose provides insight into Phil’s complex thoughts and emotions. Satisfying the reader with Phil’s self-discovery, Steinhofel does an excellent job of balancing the scales between satisfaction and misery, having and wanting. By the end of the novel, one aches with a confused combination of happiness and grief. Steinhofel and his novel deserve every word of praise!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Kansas City, Kansas USA

Georgie's Moon by Chris Woodworth

After Georgie Collins moves to Glendale, Indiana, her dad leaves to go off to Vietnam and promises to send his undying love to her through the moon every night. Georgie becomes friends with Lisa Loutzenhiser and is forced to work with her at the nursing home every Saturday because of the good deeds program the school set up. After Georgie visits Lisa at her house she begins to wonder why Lisa won’t tell her what happened to her older brother, Alan. Is it because something bad will happen to their friendship if Georgie finds out? Find out the answers as Georgie battles through life one day at a time in this fantastic book called Georgie’s Moon.

This book was really good. I’m not a really emotional person but this book almost made me cry, it was so sad. I recommend this book to kids ages 8-12. I think this book was well written and thought out. I think Georgie’s Moon is a page-turner and I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to see what would happen next. I hope to read more of Chris Woodworth’s books soon.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA US

Carrie's Courage by Norma Jean Lutz

Carrie’s Courage is a wonderful book about a ten-year-old girl named Carrie Ruhle who befriends a Jewish girl named Dvora who has just moved into town. Will Carrie be able to stay friends with Dvora though because her best friend Violet absolutely hates Dvora since she is Jewish? Can Carrie save her new friend from the white-robed Ku Klux Klan who is terrorizing the Jews, blacks, and other immigrants in her neighborhood before it’s too late? Find out as Carrie and her friends struggle with racism in this fantastic book called Carrie’s Courage, which is one of the many books in the spectacular Sisters In Time series.

I think that Carrie’s Courage is a wonderful faith-based book that kids ages 8-12 will enjoy reading. I loved the short, flowing, and very interesting poems the author added to this amazing book. The characters matched their 1920’s time frame very well. I thought that the ending was kind of sad though. If you like American Girl books then I think you will love this brilliant book. I’m hoping to read all of the books in the whole series.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA US

Joy Writing by Kenn Amdahl

A little like reading Elements of Style on amphetamines, Joy Writing by Kenn Amdahl, cascades over its pages with enthusiasm for writing. I wanted to take up my pen and buy a box of yellow tablets before I finished reading it. Yellow highlights throughout my copy remind me that there are other writers that I want to read. The examples he chooses are engaging and witty. Much of his advice is common sense: “Revising means making choices.” Some of his advice is surprising, “Let yourself write badly when you create first drafts…” And some of his advice is phrased in a silly way, “…the poet must distract the Colonel Klink/editor within himself. Simply telling him to wait in the closet isn’t enough, we need him in a different time zone.” Most of it is practical; join a writing group. And all of it is written in an intimate, conversational tone as if Kenn were talking directly to the reader. Joy Writing is 160 pages of inspiration for budding writers.

Alice O’Grady, English Teacher, Wilson HS, Long Beach, CA

Now Starring Vivien Leigh Reid: Diva in Training by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout

After visiting, Annika Anderson, on the set of her movie Danny Boy, Leigh doesn't think she'll ever be like her overdramatic diva mother. As she enters Hollywood for the first time, she doesn't know what to expect. Her first acting class turns out to be a disaster and she makes friends with Karis, the strange girl in the class. But Leigh wants more than that, and soon she's offered a role on a popular soap, Diamond Heights. Acing isn't as easy as it looks, and as Leigh gets into the rythm of things on set, she also begins to develop diva like tendencies. Her behavior tends to be the downfall of her relationship with her boyfriend, her friendship with Karis, and her newfound acting career. And Leigh has to do something to fix everything before leaving Hollywood.

This book was a great continuation to Introducing Vivien Leigh Reid. It's not often that a sequel is as good or even better than the original. Vivien again offered enough laughs and adventures throughout the book. I love the way the story is written and it's really fun to read. It goes by so fast, and once you start it, you can't put it down. I know that I'm looking forward to reading the third book about Leigh when it comes out.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, PA USA

Plenty Porter by Brandon Noonan

As Plenty Porter enters her teenage years in Galesburg, Illinois, she realizes that her large family does not actually know one another. Being the youngest of eleven, no one expects much of her yet she is usually aware of everything that goes on around her. When she befriends the motherless Ed Prindergast, the young son of their wealthy neighbor, she does not realize that she needs his friendship as much as he needs hers. Although Plenty narrates, the story actually revolves around her older sister Marcie and her problems. Plenty knows there is something going on but doesn't know if she can find out what's going on with, Mr. Darcey, her estranged grandfather, Mr. Prindergast, her parents, and her sibligs who each have interwoven lives that seem to leave Plenty, who was plenty, out.

Brandon Noonan relates a novel in which the reader really does not see the end coming. Although the story is narrated by Plenty, the reader wants to know what is going on with Marcie, why her hair falls out. I enjoyed the structure of this novel, which is told in two parts, as well as many chapters. Because the ending was a complete surprise to me, I enjoyed it and it made the novel worth reading. I don't think Plenty Porter is bound to recieive high acclaim, but it is definitely a good read for history lovers and those interested in personal growth in a character or multiple characters.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Kansas City, MO USA

Riding Out The Storm by Claudia Jones

Thirteen year old Emily Clark loves books and horses. She rides her horse, Moonbeam every day to calm her down. For the fourth Quarter of P. E. at Garven Junior High school in Woodbridge, Missouri the class is going to swim, Yes! Untill Emily almost drowns on the first day. What is wrong with her? She loves swimming. She spent all last summer with her best friend Jane's house swimming in her pool. She goes to Mr. Turner the psychaitrist who says she is a reincarnated Micheal who drowned at 21. This sets her off to find her other family. She finds them, visits them and puts their guilt and sorrow to rest.

This is a very good book. The Author creates good empathy, the horse thing was a nice touch. Emily sounds like a little Daddy's (and Mommy's) girl. She spends a little too much time explaining every single person Emily meets in page long detail. That makes it a little stop-and-go but it's okay.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Raymond, Illinois USA

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Breaking out of their summer routine, the Penderwick sisters, along with their dad, stay at Arundel Cottage for a few weeks. With beautiful gardens and new friends, the girls' excitement builds as the days progress. Until, of course, trouble arises - mainly in the form of Mrs. Tifton and her creep of a boyfriend, Dreadful Dopey Dexter Dupree. Each girl must experience some personal sorrow, in addition to collective worry over the fate of their new friend, Jeffrey. As the plot develops, so too does the girls' knowledge of themselves and what it means to be "family."

Nonetheless, it is not the plot which makes this book wonderful - although it is both exciting and suspenseful. Nor is it the characters themselves who made me love reading it - though they are colorful, unique, lovable, realistic. No, it is the amusing dialogue and swift, spirited interplay between the characters, especially the sisters, which made Birdsall's story well worth reading. Few authors can capture everyday language and make it into something enthralling. Birdsall can. She wrote an excellent book, which I highly recommend to readers of all ages.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 21
Reviewer City, State and Country: Logan, Utah USA

Secrets Of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita

Kaitlin Burke has everything many American teens dream about. A successful career as an actress, a hit TV show and on top of it all a jealous costar. After her daily routine of make-up, taping, interviews, and photo shoots Kailtiln is ready for a vacation unfortunately her parents publicist and manager don't believe in vacations. She does the next best thing; Kaitlin understands that if she wants to feel like a real teenager she needs to have the same responsibilities as one. She enrolls in a local High School and Goes undercover as an average teenager. What will Kaitlin learn from this experience? Will it be everything she expected it to be?

I have always loved an adventure. Jen Calonita has given a great view to the life of a teen star. I love the fact that teenager around the world will be able to relate to Kaitlin's character, a funny down to earth girl despite her great success. Although this book reminded me of Teen Idol I can honestly say it's nothing like it and you will be pleased with it. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 21
Reviewer City, State and Country: N. Hollywood, California USA