Lang Lang

Lang Lang's story is one of struggle, sacrifice, conflict, and determination. He was born in Shenyang, China in 1982. He began playing the piano at the age of three, and by the time he was five, he had already won his first competition. His father was determined to get him into the best music school in the country - the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Out of thousands of students who applied, only eight could get in. Lang Lang's family could only afford the school if he finished in the top three (who were given a scholarship). Every day, his father forced him to practice six to eight hours at the piano. His hard work paid off when 10-year-old Lang Lang finished first in the Conservatory competition. At age 15, Lang Lang came to the US to further advance his potential career. In 1999, he was launched into the world spotlight as a last-minute replacement for Andre Watts of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Today, he is a world-renowned pianist, and has played with some of the most famous symphony orchestras in the world.

I loved reading this story because there was always something interesting on every page; whether it was another conflict with his father or an upcoming competition. I could never find a good place for me to stop reading; therefore, I read the whole book in one sitting. I loved how he explained everything he felt at any given moment - I felt as though I was in Lang Lang's mind. His relationship with his father is an interesting one, but they always reconcile at the end. This book is very similar to another book I've read called "Mao's Last Dancer" by Li Cunxin. In both stories, a boy grows up in a poor family, and after many years of struggle and hard work, he makes it to the world stage. In my opinion, this book was not as emotional and moving as it could have been. There were many themes and motifs in the story that the author could have used to more advantage. For example, Lang Lang received a stuffed dog as a consolation price in an early competition (he finished 7th). Although he briefly mentioned it as his lucky symbol, I believe the message could have been a lot stronger had he mentioned it at the end of the book. Also, his father's standard pat on the back before every competition could have been used to a larger degree. Lang Lang spent a lot of time describing his childhood years, but not as much on his adult career (less than 20 pages). I would love to hear more about what he's doing as a professional pianist. But overall, I think Lang Lang did an excellent job sharing his story about the journey he took to become one of the best pianists in the world. This book is appropriate for readers of all ages and it will inspire all those who read it. I learned a very important lesson from this book, and it is that you can't succeed without hard work (in Lang Lang's case, hard work means six to eight hours of per day). If I were his father, I would be very, very proud.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Palo Alto, CA USA

Finder's Magic by C.M. Fleming

Hank McCord, and a soon-to-be black friend Calvin Yates, witnessed Hank's best friend's murder. After the murder, the two boys were forced to realize just how deep racial tensions ran in early twentieth century America. The murderers, Hank's bosses, would do anything to kill Hank and Calvin. The bosses feared that the murder victim had told Hank and Calvin about a secret operation the bosses were planning. Later, the two boys visited a woman known as the "Witch Lady", or the "Finder of all Things." Miz Mancala, the Witch Lady's real name, possessed the mental gift of finding misplaced objects, and she could partially predict the future. When Calvin and Hank were framed for the murder, the KKK showed up and threatened to search and burn down the entire black village until the boys were found. In C.M. Fleming's book, Finder's Magic, friendship is more powerful than skin color. Can the two preteens release the truth about who murdered Jeb, and determine how to stop the bosses' secret operation, or will their lives come to a screeching halt?

I enjoyed Finder's Magic although the beginning was a bit boring and didn't grab my immediate attention. But the more I read, the more I liked it. Several chapters were predictable but there were a few things that surprised me. Even without the setting, readers can easily tell that the characters are from the south, just because of their word choice. I really appreciated the moral: Look for the qualities of the heart; the inside and the personality, not just the outside skin color, eyes, and looks overall. Fleming makes readers realize how much that simple moral can change the future, thoughts, people, or entire country. I found that moving. Overall, the voice of the book was great because the characters seemed real. Some parts were funny then serious, Finder's Magic would make a great read-aloud.

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States

Seaborn by Chris Howard

In Seaborn, Chris Howard explores a new dimension of urban fantasy. Rather than keeping to the city as the genre would imply, Howard delves into an undersea world. Seaborn weaves together the tales of Kassandra, an exiled Seaborn royal desiring revenge while trying to free herself from her ancestry, Corina, a college student struggling to survive a Seaborn sorcerer’s possession, and Aleximor, the sorcerer working to possess Corina in order to enact revenge on Seaborn’s royalty. It is no surprise, then, that their worlds would collide, integrating pursuits of revenge, multiple fronts of war, and power struggles while splitting time on shore and under the water. Of the three narrators, Seaborn focuses on the heroines Lady Kassandra and Corina and their efforts to (re)gain control of their own lives.

Chris Howard’s first instalment of this epic fantasy takes fantasy readers in a new direction. His passages are densely packed with detail and each chapter reads smoothly. His characters appeal to all readers, whether they are familiar with the genre or not. In particular, despite her inhuman characteristics, Kassandra is every bit as real as Corina, the Californian student whose main preoccupation until her possession was her latest break-up. My main complaint with this novel was the amount of names. With so many, Howard should have more gradually introduced each character, to make understanding the complex history an easier task for the reader. I would strongly suggest that fantasy lovers who are tired of vampire novels check this book out. One warning, though: the novel is quite graphic, so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone with a weak stomach.

The novel is very graphic and the detailed violence would not be appropriate for younger readers.

Rating:7

Reviewer Age:19

Reviewer City, State and Country: Farmington, CT USA

Click by Annabel Monaghan & Elisabeth Wolfe

"Click!" was written as a guide to inform today's generation of girls all about making "it" happen. "It" can be any goal that you may have. The focal point of the book "Click!" is all about setting and achieving goals. Authors Monaghan and Wolfe believe that if you release good and positive energy, then good and positive things will happen. They write about focusing on your goals and sending out optimistic "e-vites" and getting excellent R.S.V.P.s back.

The authors of the book "Click!" definitely achieved their purpose. The vocabulary makes this book useful for girls of all ages. The writing was simple but to the point. The book is broken into several sections, and those sections are broken in to more sections which makes this guide an extra book that is easy to read. Monaghan and Wolfe keep your attention by making you actively read. There are quizzes to take and "e-vites" to fill out. They make sure that you can take this book and make it relate to your life and your goals.
I learned that through setting and focusing on goals, you can really make what you want happen. I would recommend this book to girls of all ages to learn about what an optimistic and positive attitude can do for you.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Phoenixville, PA USA

Boy Toy

Josh Mendel is one smart baseball player who is at a loss of how his life turned for the worse. There are some that make his life easier like Rachel, who forgives him and wants to be apart of his life. Yet the bad outnumber the good, like the stress to find a college that is right for him and like Eve's getting out of jail. Eve was his former teacher who took advantage of him five years ago and no one has forgotten it. Could life get much worse or will confronting what Eve did help him through the past?

I thought this book was unique in its own little way. I didn't know much about baseball at the time, but with this book I began to learn more about the sport. I also learned how a human being can make it through the past to see what was best for them. I would recommend this book to those who like baseball and want to read about a troubled teen finding his place in life.

The book has child molestation and sexual content.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, PA United States

Turn Up The Heat

It is spring in Boston, and Simmer, the new restaurant on
the affluent Newbury Street, has been open for five
months. Chloe Carter and her boyfriend, Josh Driscoll,
have dinner at Simmer with their friends. Everything goes
smoothly until the next morning, when Chloe discovers the
body of the waitress who served them the night before,
Leandra, in the back of a truck. Even though it is finals
week, Chloe finds time to uncover new clues to the murder.
Just when she thinks she knows who killed Leandra,
something completely unexpected happens: Chloe is
kidnapped by the murderer. Is she about to suffer the same
fate? Read to find out!

Having read the previous two
books in the Gourmet Girl series, "Steamed" and "Simmer
Down", I was not disappointed when I read "Turn Up the
Heat". The basic storyline is similar to the previous two
books, where Chloe discovers a murder victim and tries to
find the murderer amidst her busy life. There is always
something interesting going on with the book, whether it's
Leandra's stealing or Adrianna's baby "crisis". I enjoyed
how the author managed to combine food and mystery into a
delightful mix. I love reading fiction books that can
potentially happen in real life, and this book is just
that. I also enjoyed this book because it was full of
twists and turns. In my opinion, reading books that are
very predictable is dull and unexciting. However, the
ending in Turn up the Heat was very surprising and
completely unexpected. By the time I finished the book, I
felt very satisfied on how the story turned out. Yet, at
the same time, I was left wanting more. Along the way, I
also learned more about the food and restaurant industry.
The writing style is very casual and easy to understand.
It is a good book to read during free time. But be
careful, because you might not want to put it down!

This
book contains some strong language and sexual
implications.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Palo Alto, CA USA

"Nokosee: Rise of the New Seminole", by Micco Mann

Stormy Jones hates the Everglades, which, unfortunately for her, is where she is forced to spend her summers with her divorced father. This particular summer, her dad decides to take her on a fire-fighting expedition in the forest, and immediately loses track of her. Stormy, a regular city girl, is left to fend for herself, until she meets Nokosee. Nokosee, a native of the Everglades, takes her on several adventures on the way back to the "Outside", as he calls civilization. Along the way, Stormy starts to fall for Nokosee, and by the time they reach civilization, they are both madly in love with each other. But when Nokosee tries to leave after delivering Stormy to her father, Stormy's father won't let him, and wants to arrest him for kidnapping his daughter. Nokosee and Stormy find themselves scrambling to make everything, including their relationship, end happily.

I did not enjoy "Nokosee: Rise of the New Seminole" as much as I thought I would. There were too many sub-plots to follow, and that made the book confusing. I also feel that there were far too many life-or-death situations, so by the time the 5th or 6th situation rolled around, I knew how it would end. Despite these points, Micco Mann was able to use his descriptive creativity to paint vivid pictures of each scene in my head, and was able to tie up all the loose ends in the story in a way that I would not have thought possible. I would recommend this book to young adults 13 and up.

This book has content that is not suitable for children under the age of 13.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Boothwyn, Pennsylvania USA

Kujibiki Unbalance 1

Bad luck follows Chihiro everywhere he goes. However, he wins an odd lottery allowing him to enter in Rikkyoin High School. Everything there is decided by a lottery; this includes the student council. When Chihiro draws a winning ticket to become the student council president he doesn't realize what is involved with the position. Everyday he faces evil with the other members of the new student council. Will Chihiro's luck improve enough to fight the evil or will it cause them to die?

Kujibiki Unbalance 1 was a very interesting and short manga. I liked the beginning because the story started without unnecessary introductions. The pictures were beautiful, but sometimes the female characters were drawn inappropriately for younger readers. I liked the different personalities and mysteries of the characters. The main character Chihiro was unique because he was a leader, but he wasn't a super macho person. The ending leaves you hanging and makes you want to read the next one. I recommend this book to any reader who likes manga.

Reviewer Age:15

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

The House of Djinn by Suzanne Fisher Staples

Honor, tradition, and expectations. When Mumtaz's Baba
dies everything she knows and understands is changed. She
does have a mother, though she may be hidden away from the
world. And she also has a pre-arranged marriage to her
American cousin Jameel. The marriage must be quick, as
soon as possible. What happens if Jameel and Mumtaz's
desire for a future that isn't planned out for them is
stronger then their desire to please their family and
uphold the expectations placed on them by the Amirazi
tribe?

I really liked the House of Djinn. It put into
perspective what teenagers' life in other parts of the
world may be like. I also liked the surprises that
appeared in the story, like the possibility of Mumtaz
going to Cholistan with her mother. It was surprisingly
easy to fallow, something I wasn't expecting after reading
the summary on the back of the book. This book makes me
feel as if I am in the same room as Mumtaz. Its as if I'm
there with her, and I understand what she's feeling and
what is going through her mind. This is a great book to
read as you are getting ready to start school, and it will
interest almost any reader under the age of twenty-
one.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and
Country: Casa Grande, Arizona United States

The Automatic Detective by A. Lee Martinez

This book is a science fiction mystery set in a futuristic world filled with mutants and robots. Its purpose is to entertain. The main character is a robot named Mack Megaton. He was created to be destructive, but he developed free will, as did many other robots. He is now a cab driver attempting to earn his citizenship. When his neighbors go missing and he is attacked, he decides to get to the bottom of it. Along the way, he makes new friends and enemies.

I enjoyed this book and found the plot interesting. The plot is far-fetched and comical which greatly adds to the humor and uniqueness of the book. The characters were all likable even if they were not deeply moving. The book moves quickly and is a short but pleasant read. I recommend it specifically for someone looking for a funny, science-fiction mystery, but anyone would probably enjoy it.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA United States