Shooting The Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell

12-year-old Jamie has lived her whole life being told that the Army is the best way. Yet when her brother T.J. enlists in the Medical Corps, her father acts as if he does not want him to join. He constantly tries to get him to change his mind, but to no avail. T.J. is soon shipped out to Vietnam. While working at her summer job at the local rec center, Jamie hears many stories about the horrors of war, but nothing can influence her enough to change her opinion of it. Until one day, T.J. sends her a roll of film from the battlefield. As she develops it in the dark room she starts to see that the Army is not all she thought it was. When a devastating tragedy strikes her family, Jamie's eyes are opened to the terrible truth.


I thought that Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell was very well-written. As war is a rather sensitive subject these days, she did an excellent job making the mood of the book neither pro-war nor anti-war. She just told the truth. I also thought it was a smart choice for her to put the story in first person. It made the book easier to relate to, and you could understand better what the main character's feelings were. I would recommend this book to everyone in upper elementary and older. There are a couple spots of brief, mild profanity. However, it is a very valuable read.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA

A Rose By Any Other Name by Maureen McCarthy

The only thing Rose has on her mind is a long road trip -
with her mom? She is all geared up and ready for the
drive, when her mother climbs into the car, obviously
wanting to go along. Rose doesn't want anything else but
to get away form her messed up life. Her mom, her weird,
overly emotional sisters, and her parent's divorce; so
when her mother asks to go along for the ride, Rose is
utterly confused. But after seeing her mother staring
intently at her, she just couldn't say no. So they embark
on a long, emotional, and very frustrating journey filled
with love, lies, secrets, hate, death, romance, and
recovery. This is gonna be one heck of a ride, so buckle
up and get ready for the most controversial time of your
life!

I enjoyed just about everything to do with the
book, Rose By Any Other Name. I loved how the author
wrote little pieces throughout the story beginning with,
Don'tcha just hate... They were very intriguing and full
of emotion. They stole my attention and just pulled me
right in. I didn't overly enjoy the book at first and it
was hard to understand the setup of the novel. However,
after reading for a while, I caught on and the story began
to unfold and spark my interest. I became involved with
the book and couldn't put it down. The main thing I, as a
Christian, didn't enjoy was the over-excessive cuss words
used throughout the entire novel. But the thought-
provoking and tragedy-filled plot made up for the vile
words. The author, Maureen McCarthy, did a great job at
writing this amazing story. She switched back and forth
from Rose being in the present to her (Rose) describing
all that had happened in the past year while actually
being at the location of what is happening. I highly
recommend, Rose By Any Other Name, to young adults who
want a totally different kind of read like no other.

There was alcohol use, excessive foul language, and
some sexual scenes.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City,
State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA United States

The Fold by An Na

Can one line (fold) make all the difference? When Joyce's
aunt wins the lottery, she decides to give Joyce a
makeover. This is what Joyce has always wanted, until she
realizes that to get the beautiful Asian eyelid fold
would mean a painful surgery. Joyce has second thoughts
about whether or not one fold will change her looks enough
to get John Ford Kang (JFK) to notice her. Also whether,
thanks to the fold, she would ever be as gorgeous as her
older sister, Helen. Is she willing to risk possible
complications of the surgery just to impress people that
should already love her for who she really is?

I think
that The Fold was an okay book, but that the whole plot of
the story was kind of weird and didn't really make a lot
of sense. I don't see why anyone would have such an issue
about whether or not to get a fold on her eyelids. I also
didn't like how the author wrote about the older daughter
being a lesbian because as a Christian it made me
personally feel uncomfortable reading about it. I liked
how the author had a constant rivalry going between the
two sisters. I just didn't like how Joyce always thought
that everyone had a better life than her and how she was
always complaining about her sister and how muchbetter"
she was. Overall, The Fold was a decent book that I
recommend to teenage girls wanting a different kind of
summer read.

This book does have a character with an alternative
lifestyle.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Upper Strasburg, PA United States

Secret of the Sirens - The Companions Quartet, Book One

Connie Lionheart is sent to live with her eccentric aunt who is in a secret society. She makes friends with a classmate, named Col, who is in the society, as well. Connie discovers the society deals with creatures and their human companions. Since she always had a good relationship with animals, Connie tries to become a member of the society. The society and Connie deal with Kullervo, a terrible creature who wants to destroy humanity, as well as a new oil company, singing sirens, and much more. It is up to the society to bond with all possible creatures to prevent evil from taking over.

Julia Golding did an absolutely wonderful job incorporating environmental issues into a fantasy book! While it does not make my best book list, Secret of the Sirens is the most unique book I have ever read. The cooperation between mythological creatures and humans, and the actual environmental problems are outstanding. The beginning of the book was kind of slow, but afterwards it gets increasingly suspenseful. The dramatic scenes were definitely more than enough to keep anyone's attention. I also enjoyed how there was an equal portion of human and animal characters with significant roles. The vocabulary was perfect for a young adult age group. I recommend this book to anyone interested in fantasy.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America

Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt

For as long as Henry can remember, his life has been overshadowed by his seemingly flawless older brother, Franklin. All that changes when Trouble strikes and Henry’s family is stressed to the breaking point. So, Henry throws himself into an adventure, one that he had planned to take with Franklin long before the accident. The thing is Franklin won’t be coming with him; Henry is determined to go alone. So with a pack of supplies, a ragged dog, and ambition to spare, Henry sets out to climb the notorious Mt. Katahdin and escape the Trouble that bombarded his home. What he doesn’t know, though, is that Trouble could be around every bend, and Henry can’t face his future until he’s faced his past.

This sharp, real novel will take your breath away. From riveting action that will have you on the edge of your seat, to the comfortable friendships that develop along the way, Trouble is a terrific novel definitely worth reading. Even though I found the first few chapters a bit boring (and somewhat confusing), the story quickly picked up its pace and swept me away. I loved that I couldn’t tell what was coming. The surprises in the plot caught me completely off guard and, once I was into the book, I couldn’t put it down. This story will appeal to both boys and girls, and I recommend it to anybody who has ever had an encounter with Trouble. For an interesting look at perspective and knowing the whole story, pick up Trouble today!

Rating:8

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Tipp City, OH USA

The Secret Diary of Adrian Cat

Adrian is a typical curious, condescending house cat. He loves finding new cats to talk to, mice to torment, and dogs to taunt (and run away from). Then Adrian's life becomes complicated by females, and his experiences laughably mirror humans' struggles in relationships. First there’s a snub-nosed female cat. Next, a nomad cat that’s mysterious and knowledgeable in herbs. Adrian’s friend, Lucky, finds a mate sooner than he does. This pushes Adrian to decide between the two cats sooner than he can handle.

Stuart and Linda Macfarlane achieved a great mantra in writing this fictional diary: life is full of surprises. Whether it is finding a friend in the most unusual place or discovering lessons through relationships, their character Adrian follows in humans' footsteps very closely. I disagreed with the punctuation of the writing style, but the full meaning and storyline were very enjoyable. Adrian's day-to-day diary entries made each chapter interesting and surprising. The comfortable narration frequently made me forget that it was a diary. The irony of the similarities between a cat's life and a human's life were amazing. These two authors did a wonderful job in working together on their story.

Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eagle Creek, Oregon U.S.A.
Rating: 7
Content: 1

A Time To Tell by Maria Savva

We all complain about our family.The noisy aunt and half-deaf grandfather. The games you are forced to play with your cousins and football blaring on the living room T.V. Family. They can be a hassel, but we still love them. But in the A Time To Tell family, everyone is caught in a web of secrets and lies that threaten to do serious damage if not taken care of. Abusive husbands are just the start of the family drama, and since Cara now is elderly, all she can do is sit, watch, and turn up the volume on the T.V. when the yelling gets too loud. There is so much she wishes she could go back and change, but one thing A Time To Tell says is that the past is definite. You can't change what you've already done, no matter how much you want to believe otherwise.

It was challenging for me to review A Time To Tell because while it is captivating and very well-written, it also has a complicated plot that maded it hard to give a full summary of the book. But I loved reading it and hope I gave the story justice. It was just a joy to read, and I got in trouble a lot in class because I couldn't put it down. I think a lot of people will like this book, but if you have a short attention span maybe you should choose a different book, because it may leave you lost. But for those who are looking for a good, exciting book to read, this is the one for you.

Content: abusive relationships

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Casa Grande, Arizona USA

Storm: The Infinity Code

Will Knight is your average child prodigy - a genius. He creates gadgets that even the marines haven't come up with yet. A girl in his class, Gaia, sees him testing one of his inventions and asks him to join a secret organization called STORM, or Science and Technology to Over-Rule Misery. This organization was set up by a boy computer genius, and millionaire, named Andrew. At first, Will doesn't believe that STORM, a group of four kids, could do anything to help the world. He is proven wrong when STORM teams up to stop an evil plot, created by a madman, to take out a space hotel.

This book is one of the best spy/kid genius books I have read. Young took the story above and beyond the norm. She described her characters very well and makes sure they all had their place in the story. The plot is thick and filled with humor, suspense, mystery, and intrigue. There is never a dull moment. The thought behind the inventions and the solutions in this book are amazing. I can't figure out how Young came up with everything in this book. This is definitely competition for Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new and exciting read.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, Pennsylvania USA

The Girl Who Could Fly

Piper McLoud is a natural flyer. But when others see her amazing skill at a baseball game, her life is in danger. So, when a mysterious lady comes to take Piper to a special institute for kids with 'special' skills, she has no choice but to accept. However, at I.N.S.A.N.E., Piper soon learns that things are not at all what they seem to be. In the end, it all comes down to this: Will Piper sacrifice what she treasures most of all or will she break the rules to save her new found friends?

The Girl Who Could Fly is an excellent book. The vocabulary is age appropriate and easy to read. I found this book very moving, because of a certain song sung, quite literally, to the end. From reading this book, I learned that everyone has one unique talent at which they excel and should never sacrifice that skill to be normal or accepted. I would recommend this book to others because it was a very moving and an enjoyable read.

Underlying themes of abandonment, family death, and insanity.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Colleyville, TX USA

Misfit McCabe

When trouble maker Katie McCabe gets caught committing arson, her beloved father, the local sheriff, whisks her off to her Uncle Charlie's. Sarah, Katie's cousin, intends to set her straight. On Katie's second day at the farm, she meets Harvey Junior, her soon-to-be archenemy. Despite Katie's efforts to get along, she ends up hitting Harvey! Later on, she starts to make friends like Tom Pike and his buddies. Tom is the number one football player at school. Katie doesn't realize that life at Uncle Charlie's isn't going to be simple. Her new life contains rattlesnakes, nasty revenge, more archenemies, tears, and mud - lots and lots of mud!

I loved Misfit McCabe! The descriptions were amazing. I was glued to Misfit McCabe like a fly stuck to fly tape. I completely underestimated this book because I figured it would be boring. It turned out to be a very, very exciting book. Don’t underestimate the book's cover. Misfit McCabe is a difficult book to read, so I don't think it should be for 9-12 year olds, it should be labeled for young adults. This is a great book. Gardner-Griffie has outdone herself.

There are a few situations with underage drinking and smoking: also some frightening situations, and language.

Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States
Rating: 9
Content: 3