Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs Fall in Love by Maryrose Wood

A racy title may suggest a racy story normally, but Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs Fall in Love is anything but. Felicia, Jess, and Kat are fourteen-year-olds at the Manhattan Free Children’s School, an alternative environment for the story that allows them midday chais at diners and virtually no bothersome studies. The three call themselves the Sex Kittens, so the boys are dubbed Dawgs. In the science competition of the century, Felicia decide to enlist the aide of science guru Matthew—her crush—who breeds genius bunnies, to find the secret of love. While no easy task for a group of girls, their adventures and experiments while searching for “X” create a knot of boyfriends, pretend boyfriends, secret crushes, unrequited love, and a really good story.

If you can manage it past the SOMEWHAT EXCESSIVE capitalization and LOTS of puns on kittens, this book is REALLY good. Although the Kittens are all a little crazy—I personally don’t know any teens who would volunteer their deepest emotions for a science fair project—the Dawgs, who are more grounded, tie the book together. The end, definitely a happy ending of the usual sort, was not at all what I had expected, due to the many twists romances. While not for the Gossip Girl set, this is a fun read for preteens and younger teens looking for romance and adventure without the more mature issues dealt with in other novels of this sort. smiley face

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Edina , MN USA

The Far Side of the Moon by Jonathan Pearce

The story begins in the hills of California in 1871 where a small colony of Japanese people hopes to grow mulberry trees, cultivate tea bushes and develop rice paddies to bring ancient industries to the new world. The tale winds coming of age tenderness with economic, ethnic and class struggles into a whole that shows a meeting of cultures. Julius Ceasar Kuhl, son of a local farmer, and Kei, a Japanese servant to the German family entrepreneur, alternate telling their stories. This may be the only story with a comparison between Japanese and hillbilly music. The story shows how friendship can survive age and culture differences and even death.

California in 1871 comes to life in Jonathan Pearce's "Far side of the Moon." His ear for dialogue is clear, making each character have a distinct and believeable voice. This book would be an insightful addition to western history courses and could serve as an introduction to Japanses history and culture. I recommend this book for school and home libraries. Read it!

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 59
Reviewer City, State and Country: Timonium, Maryland US

Gossip Girl: Only In Your Dreams by Cecily Von Ziegesar

As Only in Your Dreams opens, Blair is in London, unsuccessfully trying to get the attention of he boyfriend, Lord Marcus. When she fails to get him to notice her, she immediately leaves London, taking back with her a large bill. When her mother finds out, she is angry and makes Blair get a job. As Bailey Winter’s new assistant, she gets to work onset of the new movie Breakfast at Fred’s, where she comes across Serena. Serena is trying to make it as an actress, but soon finds that it is not her calling. But she comes through in the end. All the while, she was crushing on her hot co-star, Thad, until she finds out something about him that comes as a shock. Bailey Winter wants to keep Serena and Blair on to work for him over the summer at his house in the Hamptons, where his estate just happens to be next door to the Archibals. Nate, meanwhile, is in the Hamptons working for his coach after pulling a prank. Also, Dan and Vanessa are living together, and Dan hopes that this will bring the two closer together. When Dan meets Bree, everything changes.

I thought the newest edition of Gossip Girl was good. It started off a little slow for me in the beginning, but once I got further into the story, I couldn’t put it down. With the ending, I can’t wait till the next one comes out. I have a feeling that there will be another juicy storyline with Blair and Nate, who are my favorite characters. All the other storylines were pretty interesting as well. Gossip Girl does not fail to meet expectations once again. I really can’t imagine this series ending.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

The Ranger's Apprentice Book Two: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan

In the book Ranger's Apprentice Book Two: The Burning Bridge the main character, Will, is an apprentice to a legendary ranger named Halt. Will is sent on a mission to the King Swyddned of the Celts to ask for men in the battle against Morgarath the evil Lord of Rain and Night. Will is accompanied by another ranger, Gilan, who was a former apprentice to Halt and not too much older than Will. He is also accompanied by a trainee to the battleschool, Horace, who is around Will's age and an old friend. When they get into the Kingdom of the Celts it is strangely abandoned, and they soon find themselves on an adventure that could change the whole fate of the Empire.

I think that Ranger's Apprentice Book Two: The Burning Bridge is an excellent book. It is very fast-paced with lots of adventure. It also has some witty humor that will bring a chuckle out of you several times in the book. I had to go and get the first book to the series after I read this one because I enjoyed it so much. If you are in to fantasies set in the middle ages with lots of sword fighting and bowing then you need to get this book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, Pennsylvania U.S.A.

Barry, Boyhound by Andy Spearman

Barry is your typical, average kid. He has friends, his parents, and an annoying sister to live with. What most people don't know is that one night, two fleas jumped on Barry's head turning him into a boyhound. Now, he has all the advantages of being a dog, but all the disadvantages, also. When his boyhound brain completely takes over, he does things without thinking. Mainly attacking his friends, eating worms, and running in front of moving cars. Can Barry survive being part human, part dog?

When I first saw the cover of Barry, Boyhound, by Andy Spearman, I didn't know what to expect. What I found out was not to judge a book by its cover. Reading through this book, I noticed many links to the real world. For instance, when the book mentions papaya, it explains what papaya is and who it is helpful to. The book has many strong points but many weak points also. Sometimes the book stretches out small details that didn't need to be emphasized in any way. The story line doesn't have much of a climax. This means there is no incredibly interesting point in the book. Many ideas in the book were witty and enjoyable to learn about. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book but many other kids my age and older may be disappointed by it. I recommend this book to children between the ages of 8-13.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, Pennsylvania United States

Clair-de-Lune by Cassandra Golds

Clair-de-Lune lives for dancing, and that’s all she has lived for her whole life. She has mastered the art of it; what more could she want? Her heart is still not content though, for she longs to speak the words of her heart just like everyone else, but she cannot because she is mute. One day she meets a mouse named Bonaventure while weeping in the dance room and surprisingly, he could talk. Bonaventure takes Clair-de-Lune to the monastery where she meets a man named Brother Inchmahome, who tells her that he can teach her how to speak. Clair-de-Lune has second thoughts about learning how to do the thing she's been wanting to do all her life, but why is that? One day she gets a job offer to perform in the same play that her mother had died performing in and she accepts. One night she goes down to the stage while wearing her mother’s swan tutu and after practicing she leaves without realizing that the locket her mother had sewn onto the tutu has fallen off onto the stage. What will happen if she never finds the locket that she has lost?

I think Clair-de-Lune is a great story that I enjoyed reading. I thought it was neat how the author threw in a couple different events that you would have never guessed would have happened. Although I enjoyed reading this book I don’t think I would ever want to read it again. The reasons are because this book was kind of boring because the same stuff mostly happened and all she practically did was go to dancing class and visit Brother Inchmahome. I think the author should have had a couple more things going on in this book and she should’ve had a few more events happen but overall this book was still pretty good.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA United States

Quag Keep by Andre Norton

Quag Keep is a book by Andre Norton about a group of adventures tied together by a mysterious bracelet attached to their arm. The adventures throughout the book look for information containing to the bracelet. While on their adventure they come in contact with a wizard claiming to know about the bracelet. The wizard says the bracelets are linked to the recent gathering of dark chaos energy in the world. What is the link between the bracelets and the gathering of dark energy? Is the wizards information true? Do the adventures find and new information pertaining to the bracelets? Find out in Quag Keep.

Quag Keep is a book of action, adventure, and mystery. It is about a group of adventures tied together by a mysterious bracelet. In the beginning the story is a bit confusing but by the end of the book the author straightens out some of the mystery. Throughout the book the main characters are searching for information pertaining to the bracelet. This causes many trivial problems for them, such as which horse they buy or where the watering hole is. These problems make the book slow going and boring. Thankfully there are some occasions of terrific actions scenes, where the author really shines, but don't expect to find many, as there are but a few. Overall I think this is an average book deserving of an average rating, but with the abundance of bestseller adventure books there is no room on the shelf for an average book. In all fairness this isn't the author's best book. I would recommend Mark of the Cat: Year of the Rat, or Silver May Tarnish.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 5
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Starkville, MS United States

The Wizard, the Witch & Two Girls From Jersey by Lisa Papademetriou

One second Veronica and Heather were in a bookstore. Next second they had been transported into the fantasy world of "Queen of Twilight" Things go wrong right off the back. First, Heather shatters the heroine of the book: Princess Arabelle. Then, Heather is mistaken for Princess Arabelle. Veronica has read "Queen of Twilight" before and will do all she can to make sure the story goes and should while Heather follows nothing but her heart. With a wizard, a servant elf, and a talking squirrel's help, these two girls must face a great evil. Will this motely band manage to defeat the evil and survive?

When you pick this book up and look at it, you may think: "Oh, just another story about an unlikely group of heros who defeat a great evil. Been there, done that." However, this book is different. Things don't always work out the way they wanted. Also, the whole trip is inlaid with humor and lessons. The characters are all intiguing and lovable. An abosolute page turner, I would say this book is the funniest and most lovable unlikely hero story. Content is appropriate for all ages.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tucson, Arizona Pima

The Adventures of Vin Fiz by Clive Cussler

This bool is about twin 11 year-olds who live in Castroville, California, that survives on artichokes. While Lacey and Casey were working on their plantation, a mysterious stranger, named Sucoh Sucop, agrees to work with their parents in exchange for food and shelter. When Sucoh Sucop leaves, he leaves the twins a gift. The gift turns out to be a box that changes toys into usable objects. Soon the twins are traveling, with their dog Floopy, cross country. They travel on an old fashioned, Wright Brothers air plane.

I was not impressed by this book. It had too much adventure and it was hard to follow. Plus the scenes were very similar and it was too predictible. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy adventure but it was too predictible. I like the auther's adult books. I do although recommend it to readers who REALLY enjoy constent adventure.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 5
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minooka, IL

David Crockett: Hero of the Common Man by William Groneman III

Another book in the "American Heroes" series, this one by William Groneman III, the narration walks the reader through the exploits of Davy Crockett, a man most Americans think of as the man in the ‘coon-skin cap. The novel covers his lifespan in its entirety, additionally debunking popular myths about the man along the way. In sort of a “subtheme,” Groneman also examines the number of times that Crockett almost died, implying a sort of luck and ‘invincibility’ of this “American hero.”

I was more pleased with this book than the last “American Heroes” book I read (George Washington: First in War, First in Peace). In general, while the narrative was just as straightforward and spartan, it was enjoyable to read what “actually” (“actually” is in quotations for a reason—you’ll see in the next paragraph) happened to Mr. Crockett, as opposed to popular opinion. The book moved at a decent pace, and I found my mind wandering only during the description of then-Congressman Crockett’s tour of the East Coast. You pretty much get a day-by-day breakdown of a month-long trip, and, sorry, but 19th-century political-inspired travel with a “boys will be boys” mentality just doesn’t hold my interest. Some of the hunting trips also made me zone out, but surprisingly the author kept those descriptions to a minimum, only retelling important or pivotal trips that had either unintended events or consequences. Of course, I do have two complaints about the book, but neither are something to hold the presses about. As in the previous “AH” book, there is a distinct lack of maps and diagrams. While I understand the importance of the written word and how it’s written, most high school kids are not going to be able to recall the exact composition of the US in the early 19th century at the drop of a hat. Any sort of map would make the tale easier to follow, since less time would be spent dusting off the US history and figuring out who was doing what where and why. The second one pertains directly to this book: the author keeps his passion for the topic under wraps for most of the book, expressing it through his writing, but the last two chapters he lets the bear out of the cellar. This in itself isn’t reprehensible, but it breaks out during a chapter discussing the false descriptions and legends of Mr. Crockett. During this section, Groneman discusses with voracity the inaccuracies of most Crockett biographies, and how many throughout the years have portrayed throughout the years what they believe to be “correct.” He’s perfectly within his right saying this, obviously, since he is somewhat of an authority on the subject, but that leaves an ominous question in the air: What’s to say that this book is accurate? While I have no real reason to doubt Groneman, since this is his area of expertise, not mine, professed ‘authorities’ in years past have also made the same claim. His tale may be backed up by tangible, authentic evidence, but I’m a doubting Thomas on this one—show me, and then I’ll accept without question that this is a true portrayal of how things were. In terms of rating, I’d have to say a 7.5 out of 10. While I’d be much more likely to reread this over GW: FiW, FiP; I still wouldn’t leap for it. The prose is very dry and informational, and while the book was very readable, the tone works best for scholarly writing, not for an intended high school audience. However, if someone approached me asking about a short read dealing with Texas, Crockett, or the West in general, I’d at least mention this book in the course of discussion. The points the text raises certainly provides enough for contemplation and comparing to popular legend…and also enough to fuel any book group discussion about comparing/contrasting man vs. myth.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Rochester, New York United States