This book tells you how people protest J.K. Rowling's books. It gives you information and pictures of what some people do to books when they don't like them. This book touches on a lot of people's opinions and beliefs of her work. It explains some of the Harry Potter books then tells why people do or don't like them. Then when people don't like the books, they destroy them. Overall, it is a lot of opinions and how far people will go to prove their points.
I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I was expecting some more information on J.K. Rowlings life. I wasn't expecting a lot of information about how people protest against her books. I like her books and I wasn't interested in hearing about how people destroy her books. I think that a book is a book, and if you don't like the book then don't read it.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leopold, MO USA
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Monday, January 05, 2009
War Is
War Is... by Marc Aronson & Patty Campbell
For many people, war is an experience that is far away from their daily living, yet it plays an intrinsic role in the lives of all humans. The book War Is... seeks to bring the issues surrounding war to the reader. The book is divided into three parts. The first part is short piece that deal with people’s opinions on war, including newspaper articles, song lyrics, and interviews. The second part deals with different soldiers’ experiences, ranging from soldiers in World War I to the Iraq War. The third part examines soldiers’ experiences when they return from a war. The different pieces are all short, are written in many different forms (blog, short story, play, interview) and are by many different authors.
Anyone who wants to know more about war, or people’s experiences in war, should read this book. It is geared to young adults who, I think, would benefit the most from the book’s selections, but the book is accessible to anyone.
It is very difficult to find an unbiased view on the subject of war. However, this book did a wonderful job of balancing diverse opinions on matters, especially since the editors of the book held very different personal views on war.
Most of the pieces in the book were very well combined. Overall, they were very interesting, and spoke about many different issues. Mostly the book focused on the Iraq War, which made it very relevant to the current times. I did feel that the letters from the soldier in World War I was out of place. This selection was a collection of personal letters from the editor’s father, and I did not feel it was an appropriate choice. However, I felt all of the other selections were wonderful.
I would definitely recommend this book to any young
adults who wish to understand more about the world around
them.
There is some bad language in the book; however,
the book does NOT have graphic violence.
Rating 9
Content 3
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, Illinois USA
For many people, war is an experience that is far away from their daily living, yet it plays an intrinsic role in the lives of all humans. The book War Is... seeks to bring the issues surrounding war to the reader. The book is divided into three parts. The first part is short piece that deal with people’s opinions on war, including newspaper articles, song lyrics, and interviews. The second part deals with different soldiers’ experiences, ranging from soldiers in World War I to the Iraq War. The third part examines soldiers’ experiences when they return from a war. The different pieces are all short, are written in many different forms (blog, short story, play, interview) and are by many different authors.
Anyone who wants to know more about war, or people’s experiences in war, should read this book. It is geared to young adults who, I think, would benefit the most from the book’s selections, but the book is accessible to anyone.
It is very difficult to find an unbiased view on the subject of war. However, this book did a wonderful job of balancing diverse opinions on matters, especially since the editors of the book held very different personal views on war.
Most of the pieces in the book were very well combined. Overall, they were very interesting, and spoke about many different issues. Mostly the book focused on the Iraq War, which made it very relevant to the current times. I did feel that the letters from the soldier in World War I was out of place. This selection was a collection of personal letters from the editor’s father, and I did not feel it was an appropriate choice. However, I felt all of the other selections were wonderful.
I would definitely recommend this book to any young
adults who wish to understand more about the world around
them.
There is some bad language in the book; however,
the book does NOT have graphic violence.
Rating 9
Content 3
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, Illinois USA
Ranger's Apprentice - The Sorcerer of the North
In Ranger's Apprentice- Book 5: Sorcerer of the North, a young ranger named Will is given a special task by the Ranger Corp. He and his life-long friend Alyss are sent to the north of the kingdom where they must discover what is behind the mysterious illness of Lord Byron, master of the castle. What they find is a tangled web of deceit, dark magic, and hysteria. Will and Alyss must learn to quickly tell their allies from their enemies as they battle against time. The mission becomes deadly when Alyss is held hostage and Will must decide whether his loyalty lies with his mission or whether he will risk it all to follow his heart. The book is full of surprising twists and turns, and it leaves you wanting the next book. With plenty of fantasy creatures and magical mystery, it fits right into the Ranger's Apprentice series.
John Flanagan is a talented writer and he weaves a suspenseful tale throughout the Ranger's Apprentice series. This book is no exception and from the beginning you get vivid detail and thorough descriptions. This installment in the Ranger’s Apprentice series has a dark tone, much like the past books. The main character in this novel is Will, a young ranger, but he is joined by his good friend and love interest, Alyss. The book is centered around their trials and tribulations, but they often receive help from past characters like Will’s former teacher Halt, and Alyss’ and Will’s good friend Horace. Will is a well known character in the series and his good nature, quick wit, and knack for always saving the day makes him a very lovable character. Alyss is a poised, beautiful, and caring individual and her hidden strength and selflessness makes her a powerful female presence. The book often alternates from different focal points, one chapter focusing on Will, another focusing on the villain, and the next showing Alyss. These changes help to give the reader a view of everything that is going on, so that you get a sense of what all the characters are doing and how one character’s actions will affect the other. In this novel, conflict draws ever closer until you reach the final climax where battle is about to break loose. It is at this point that the book ends and you wind up feeling like the entire novel merely set up the next book. There is no heavy action, no final confrontation, and the ending felt severely lackluster. Everything in the brilliant tale Flanagan has woven thus far simply seems cut off. This book was a tremendous read up until the end. If you wish for a full novel with a beginning, climax, and ending you will be a bit disappointed. Although the plot crumbles at the end, all the way through the writing is vivid, effective, beautiful, and interesting. The book is part of a very action-packed fantasy series and although it holds very little action itself, it does continue to build on Flanagan’s elaborate fictional world. I would have to say that is the weakest Ranger’s Apprentice book so far due to the lack of conclusion, and the fact that on its own it does not stand a very complete book. As mentioned before, this book is best for those who are already avid readers of the Ranger's Apprentice series, as it contains many old characters, but it is not an entirely lost cause for those who have not read the series before. I would recommend having the next book ready to read immediately after finishing this one, so that all of the brilliant reading you have just done does not feel entirely wasted.
Content: 1
Rating: 7
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: South Pasadena, California USA
John Flanagan is a talented writer and he weaves a suspenseful tale throughout the Ranger's Apprentice series. This book is no exception and from the beginning you get vivid detail and thorough descriptions. This installment in the Ranger’s Apprentice series has a dark tone, much like the past books. The main character in this novel is Will, a young ranger, but he is joined by his good friend and love interest, Alyss. The book is centered around their trials and tribulations, but they often receive help from past characters like Will’s former teacher Halt, and Alyss’ and Will’s good friend Horace. Will is a well known character in the series and his good nature, quick wit, and knack for always saving the day makes him a very lovable character. Alyss is a poised, beautiful, and caring individual and her hidden strength and selflessness makes her a powerful female presence. The book often alternates from different focal points, one chapter focusing on Will, another focusing on the villain, and the next showing Alyss. These changes help to give the reader a view of everything that is going on, so that you get a sense of what all the characters are doing and how one character’s actions will affect the other. In this novel, conflict draws ever closer until you reach the final climax where battle is about to break loose. It is at this point that the book ends and you wind up feeling like the entire novel merely set up the next book. There is no heavy action, no final confrontation, and the ending felt severely lackluster. Everything in the brilliant tale Flanagan has woven thus far simply seems cut off. This book was a tremendous read up until the end. If you wish for a full novel with a beginning, climax, and ending you will be a bit disappointed. Although the plot crumbles at the end, all the way through the writing is vivid, effective, beautiful, and interesting. The book is part of a very action-packed fantasy series and although it holds very little action itself, it does continue to build on Flanagan’s elaborate fictional world. I would have to say that is the weakest Ranger’s Apprentice book so far due to the lack of conclusion, and the fact that on its own it does not stand a very complete book. As mentioned before, this book is best for those who are already avid readers of the Ranger's Apprentice series, as it contains many old characters, but it is not an entirely lost cause for those who have not read the series before. I would recommend having the next book ready to read immediately after finishing this one, so that all of the brilliant reading you have just done does not feel entirely wasted.
Content: 1
Rating: 7
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: South Pasadena, California USA
Encyclopedia of the End: Mysterious Death in Fact, Fancy, Folklore, and More by Deborah Noyes
The Encyclopedia of The End: Mysterious Death in Fact, Fancy, Folklore, and More by Deborah Noyes, deals mainly with different funeral customs around the world. It also deals with the science, theology, and folklore of death. This book alphabetically covers everything from an amulet of good luck for the dead to wreaths for funerals. The book contains pictures and sub-notes. You will find out about the origins of modern Goth culture, where the tradition of the hearse at funerals started, what necromancy is, how a body decays, and more in The Encyclopedia of The End by Deborah Noyes.
I give the Encyclopedia of The End: Mysterious Death in Fact, Fancy, Folklore, and More by Deborah Noyes a ten. It is a great introduction to the topic of death. This is a topic that is not discussed in today's world as much as it was in the past. This Encyclopedia brings death, an essential part of life, to light in a gentle way. If the reader has basic questions about the culture or science of death, this book will answer these questions. Even if a reader is scared of death, nothing in this book will scare them. I enjoyed the part on holidays about death, such as Bon, Day of the Dead, and Halloween. I found the Japanese holiday of Bon especially interesting. Bon is a holiday where the dead family members come back to earth. The Encyclopedia of the End by Deborah Noyes will make you find out more about death, whether by interviewing a funeral home director, reading the works of Edgar Allen Poe, or visiting Nagasaki, Japan during Bon.
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, Illinois U.S.A.
The Truth about Horses, Friends, and My Life as a Coward
The Truth about Horses, Friends, and My Life as a Coward by Sarah P. Gibson is about Sophie, a girl who has had some interesting experiences with horses -- to say the least. The book is in first person with Sophie as the Narrator. She has been forced into a life with horses because of her mom's love for the animals. Each chapter describes a mishap Sophie has had with one of the horses her family owns. For instance, when she is little her mom buys her and her sister a pony named Really. Sophie never asked for a horse, but her mom is convinced this will make her happy. One of her mishaps occurs when Sophie has a friend over and her mom decides they should go on a cart ride with Really. During the cart ride, Really decides to take over and soon he is running full speed, pulling the cart behind him, with Sophie and her friend hanging on for dear life. This is one of many cases that has caused Sophie's aversion to horses. However, throughout the book Sophie grows fonder of them and learns they are not as frightening or as demonic as she initially thinks. Along the way she makes friends who love her horses, but best of all, love her for who she is.
I read this book in one sitting, cover to cover, because I could not put it down. It is the perfect blend of comedy and drama, chronicling Sophie's life with horses. Sophie is a likeable character that the readers will fall in love with as soon as they read page one. The author does a good job with imagery and all the passages were funny because they seemed like they could happen in real life. I found this book appealing because it takes a different view on life with horses. It is not the typical "girl loves horse" story. I did, however, like that the author ended the book with Sophie's obvious growing compassion for the horses she cares for. This book is good for children of any age who already love horses, or those who are curious about what occurs behind the scenes while taking care of them.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, OH United States
I read this book in one sitting, cover to cover, because I could not put it down. It is the perfect blend of comedy and drama, chronicling Sophie's life with horses. Sophie is a likeable character that the readers will fall in love with as soon as they read page one. The author does a good job with imagery and all the passages were funny because they seemed like they could happen in real life. I found this book appealing because it takes a different view on life with horses. It is not the typical "girl loves horse" story. I did, however, like that the author ended the book with Sophie's obvious growing compassion for the horses she cares for. This book is good for children of any age who already love horses, or those who are curious about what occurs behind the scenes while taking care of them.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, OH United States
Charles Darwin by Alan Gibbons
Charles Darwin takes an epic adventure in which today is said to be one of the greatest scientific discoveries ever. The book is facts mixed in with a little bit of fiction. Throughout the period of a four year ship ride on the HMS Beagle, the main character, James Kincaid, writes a dairy entry every now and then telling about the finds of Charles Darwin and the fun that was held on the islands they traveled to and from. It is a great short read for young adults and a good book for young readers that have not yet mastered chapter books. The book is full of cool creatures and amazing illustrations from the start of the first page.
Charles Darwin by Alan Gibbons is a book with an exclusive setting of the island of South America. The writer makes the characters pop out of the book so you get the idea of who they were and what they were like. The characters are very likable and are fun to read about what they did and what their life was made up of. It was written in the appropriate manner of first person. I read as though the main character was reading his dairy entries right to me. The book had many strengths, but one of its greatest was its illustrations. They were colorful and vibrant, making it seam as though you were there in that animated world. I really have never read a book like it so I couldnt compare it to anything. I learned a lot while reading Charles Darwin, it is filled with facts. As a chapter book reader, it was more of a burden to read the book. There wasn't a part that really pulled me in because it was so short. If I had to choose whether to recommend it or not I would have to say it matters who you are, a chapter book reader like me, or a short book reader. It would also depend on your preference in general.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Merino, Colorado (CO) United States of America
Charles Darwin by Alan Gibbons is a book with an exclusive setting of the island of South America. The writer makes the characters pop out of the book so you get the idea of who they were and what they were like. The characters are very likable and are fun to read about what they did and what their life was made up of. It was written in the appropriate manner of first person. I read as though the main character was reading his dairy entries right to me. The book had many strengths, but one of its greatest was its illustrations. They were colorful and vibrant, making it seam as though you were there in that animated world. I really have never read a book like it so I couldnt compare it to anything. I learned a lot while reading Charles Darwin, it is filled with facts. As a chapter book reader, it was more of a burden to read the book. There wasn't a part that really pulled me in because it was so short. If I had to choose whether to recommend it or not I would have to say it matters who you are, a chapter book reader like me, or a short book reader. It would also depend on your preference in general.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Merino, Colorado (CO) United States of America
My One Hundred Adventures
Jane Fielding lives in an ocean-side cottage in New England with her mother, a local poet, and her three younger siblings. At the age of twelve, she is yearning for
adventure amidst the otherwise hum-drum goings-on in her little sea-side town. Surely enough, adventure finds her, first with a hijacked hot-air balloon ride, and then with the strange appearances of her mother's old boyfriends--and her possible fathers. Befriending the town's preacher and babysitting the unruly Gourd children lead to even further adventures. But beyond the simple pleasure of finding excitement and mystery, Jane's adventures lead to her own revelations about life, relationships, faith, and, most of all, herself.
The book's most remarkable feature is its beautiful imagery. From the sand blown across the floorboards of the Fieldings' cottage, to a dumpy trailer park, where there lives a man with an acute resemblance to Santa Claus, every image is stunning and memorable. Jane's exploits do not drive the novel's plot, instead the reader's interest is drawn to the adult characters in Jane's life. I found that the adventures and conflicts that surrounded Jane were more compelling stories than Jane's own trials babysitting and trailing behind the eccentric preacher. At a later part in the novel, Jane reflects that "all our lives are mundane but all our lives are also poetry." Indeed, My One Hundred Adventures is simply a story about a girl's
summer, but in the way that it's told, the mundane becomes poetic, and even a day at the beach can be an adventure.
The novel contains some domestic violence.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Concord, MA USA
Rating 8
Content Rating: 2
adventure amidst the otherwise hum-drum goings-on in her little sea-side town. Surely enough, adventure finds her, first with a hijacked hot-air balloon ride, and then with the strange appearances of her mother's old boyfriends--and her possible fathers. Befriending the town's preacher and babysitting the unruly Gourd children lead to even further adventures. But beyond the simple pleasure of finding excitement and mystery, Jane's adventures lead to her own revelations about life, relationships, faith, and, most of all, herself.
The book's most remarkable feature is its beautiful imagery. From the sand blown across the floorboards of the Fieldings' cottage, to a dumpy trailer park, where there lives a man with an acute resemblance to Santa Claus, every image is stunning and memorable. Jane's exploits do not drive the novel's plot, instead the reader's interest is drawn to the adult characters in Jane's life. I found that the adventures and conflicts that surrounded Jane were more compelling stories than Jane's own trials babysitting and trailing behind the eccentric preacher. At a later part in the novel, Jane reflects that "all our lives are mundane but all our lives are also poetry." Indeed, My One Hundred Adventures is simply a story about a girl's
summer, but in the way that it's told, the mundane becomes poetic, and even a day at the beach can be an adventure.
The novel contains some domestic violence.
Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Concord, MA USA
Rating 8
Content Rating: 2
Saturday, January 03, 2009
The Night of the Living Dead by Casey Daniels
The Night of the Living Dead is a thrilling science fiction book. You follow along with Pepper Martin, a trendy and beautiful, cemetery tour guide. Who, by the way, can talk to the dead. While on a trip to a cemetery convention, which she only went to because her boss was sick, she runs into a ghost. Madeline is her name, and she has been dead for 3 years. She tells Pepper about a study that Dr. Gerard is holding. Madeline tips Pepper off that maybe this study isn't as legal as it may seem. But when she tells Pepper, Dan, a guy Pepper is falling for, may be involved, the whole case changes. And what happens when more than just dirty secrets are revealed?
This book was a great science fiction book. This is a great mystery book for teens. This book was well-written, a good mystery, and wonderful science fiction. I would definitely recommend this book to mystery freaks. I have to say the ending was pretty good and I hope there is a sequel, because I feel like I was left hanging on a thread.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Germantown, TN United States
Swimming with the Sharks by Debbie Reed Fischer
Five-foot eleven. Freckled. Flat as a surfboard. Peyton
Grady sees her role on the varsity cheer squad as the only
thing keeping her off the social sidelines at wealthy
Beachwood Preparatory Academy. It's her umbilical cord to
cool-and it's constantly in danger of getting cut. As a
base, it's Peyton's duty to be stepped on-literally-by
cheer queen Lexie Court. So when Lexie hatches a fierce
hazing campaign against the frumpy new girl, Peyton has no
choice but to support her flier. Soon the pranks become
sadistically cruel, even criminal. Suddenly, Peyton has
more to lose than her new-found Alpha celebrity. Will she
gamble her entire future for "the good of the squad"?
Debbie Reed Fischer's second novel, Swimming with the
Sharks, is an easy-to-read page turner filled with many
laugh-out-loud moments. Right from the beginning, I was
hooked. I loved how easy it was to connect with the
narrator, Peyton, and how I could feel every emotion she
experienced. Fischer did an amazing job describing
everything that was going on, making it feel as if you
were really there. Swimming with the Sharks taught a very
important lesson in friendship and relationships. This
book was a good way to teach readers that hazing is wrong
and that you should always do the right thing.
This book contained hazing and bullying.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leopold, MO USA
Grady sees her role on the varsity cheer squad as the only
thing keeping her off the social sidelines at wealthy
Beachwood Preparatory Academy. It's her umbilical cord to
cool-and it's constantly in danger of getting cut. As a
base, it's Peyton's duty to be stepped on-literally-by
cheer queen Lexie Court. So when Lexie hatches a fierce
hazing campaign against the frumpy new girl, Peyton has no
choice but to support her flier. Soon the pranks become
sadistically cruel, even criminal. Suddenly, Peyton has
more to lose than her new-found Alpha celebrity. Will she
gamble her entire future for "the good of the squad"?
Debbie Reed Fischer's second novel, Swimming with the
Sharks, is an easy-to-read page turner filled with many
laugh-out-loud moments. Right from the beginning, I was
hooked. I loved how easy it was to connect with the
narrator, Peyton, and how I could feel every emotion she
experienced. Fischer did an amazing job describing
everything that was going on, making it feel as if you
were really there. Swimming with the Sharks taught a very
important lesson in friendship and relationships. This
book was a good way to teach readers that hazing is wrong
and that you should always do the right thing.
This book contained hazing and bullying.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Leopold, MO USA
Friday, January 02, 2009
Triple Shot Bettys in Love by Jody Gehrman
Triple Shot Bettys in love was a book about two girls who work in a coffee shop (neither one of them is named Betty. Their names are Geena and Amber actually.) Geena is a very smart girl with a perfect boyfriend named Ben, whom she has been going out with for 5 months. Amber is completely head over heels with Geena's English teacher, Mr. Sands. Geena just may have a crush on him to, but she doesn't know what to do about it because of Ben. When a crazed, mean model makes a play for Ben, Geena sees her chance to do something about her crush, but will she? Find out in Triple Shot Bettys in love.
This was a fairly good read. The plot line was very complicated and some of the characters were weak and hard to identify with, but the core story was funny and touching. It is a story we have all heard (or seen for ourselves) 1000 times, I mean, everyone has had a crush on a teacher before, right? But these two girls take it one step further and actually date the teacher, so I think some parents would be opposed to having their child read this book. This is a must read for girls my age. This is the sequel to Confessions from a Triple Shot Betty.
mild language, and sexual content
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: exeter , NH USA
This was a fairly good read. The plot line was very complicated and some of the characters were weak and hard to identify with, but the core story was funny and touching. It is a story we have all heard (or seen for ourselves) 1000 times, I mean, everyone has had a crush on a teacher before, right? But these two girls take it one step further and actually date the teacher, so I think some parents would be opposed to having their child read this book. This is a must read for girls my age. This is the sequel to Confessions from a Triple Shot Betty.
mild language, and sexual content
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: exeter , NH USA
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