Tobbi's Amazing Adventures in Cloudland

"Tobbi's Amazing Adventures in Cloudland" by Ilya Simakovsky borders on adventure and fantasy. The story follows the struggle of an eleven year old boy in a wheelchair. His various reveries and dreams are plastered across the pages. In the boy's mind, clouds become real and he is able to fly. Most of his friends are either animals or personified inanimate objects. In the real world of middle school, Tobbi is not the most popular boy. He has a few friends, but most students just pity him because he is disabled. To make matters worse, Tobbi has to face the school bully every day. Regardless, the bulk of the plot does not take place in the real world; it takes place in Tobbi's cloudland. To others, Tobbi's land of adventure is just a silly dream or medical hallucination, but--to him--it is as real as raindrops on a freshly flowered geranium.

This book is an easy read for children. Boys will most likely prefer this book more than girls because of the issues raised. Tobbi is faced with the sudden change of mind about girls (they had cooties then, but now they are cute). Additionally, most of Tobbi's adventures are a bit masculine. They involve driving on the open road, skyrocketing into space, racing against time, and facing grotesquely monstrous enemies. That is not to say that only boys should read this book; they just might enjoy it more than girls would. The underlying tone of the book suggests that, as Tobbi is fighting evil in his make believe land, he is fighting his disease in real life. Only at the end of the book does he come to terms with what his cloudland truly is. Even then, he is not willing to close the book on that intermittent part of his life.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro

Despite the title, this book is not just about kissing
boys. The real drama lies in the girl taking kissing
lessons from her next door neighbor and falling for him.
She is doing this because it all falls into her ludicrous
master plan of being placed on the varsity soccer team. The
protagonist is a junior in high school and has played
soccer all of her life. In her freshman and sophomore
years, she placed on the junior varsity level and assumed
shed be moved up the next year. She is in a great state of
consternation whence she realizes she is still on the
junior varsity level due to a lack of room for her on the
higher level. To make matters worse, the girls arch
nemesis made the real varsity level and reminds the girl of
this every day. This madness ensues when the girl is
tormented every day in the hallways. The main character
wants to change this by getting the hottest boy in town to
come to a school event and approach the varsity girls
soccer kissing booth. There, he will demand that he kiss
the main character for three hundred dollars. According to
the girl, this will work perfectly and make the coach put
her on the team to gain money for the team.

The ABC'S of
Kissing Boys" by Tina Ferraro is definitely a teenage
drama. If it were ever made into a movie, it would fit into
the pigeonholed category of chick-flick. Nevertheless, the
plot is very engaging and suspenseful--definitely a page-
turner. The main events in the book lie in the girl trying
to learn how to kiss. After all, she wants her three
hundred dollar kiss to look real in front of her coach, or
else she will know that it was all a hoax. There are
facetious scenes intertwined into the book (e.g.- the girl
buying economy sized boxes of cherries and starbursts
candies in a vain attempt to become a kissing pro). Anyway,
the girl seeks the help of her hunky next door neighbor.
Little does she know that she will eventually end up
falling for him. She also does not know that she will
eventually make the varsity level for a whole different
reason that has nothing to do with kissing boys. The big
finale lies in the last twenty pages or so, but it is worth
the wait. Ferraro has an ease about her words that is
evident in the book. Sentences flow effortlessly and make
the pages flutter by.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer
City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Wicked Dead by Stefan Petrucha

Tonight's tale . . .

Rabbit food. Windowpanes. Pennies. Chelsea Kaer counts and frets over everythingher OCD won't let her stop. But when her biology teacher, Ms. Mandisa, asks her to pet-sit, Chelsea can't think of a reason to say no. After all, it's extra pocket moneynothing to worry about, right?

Wrong. Ms. Mandisa's "pet" is a six-foot lizard with a poisonous bite and a taste for red meat. And if Chelsea doesn't think fast, she'll be dead meat. . . .

Student reviewer: RJam

Marvel The Marvelous by Laura Chester

Marvel The Marvelous by Laura Chester is a remarkable fairy tale. The bulk of the story involves adventure in a magically perfect land, but there is also suspense and mystery. The main pony in the story cares for a young girl that the King and Queen find frozen in the snow. Shortly after her convalescence, the two becomes best friends. With a clear head and warmed torso, the girl wants to find her family. The horse Marvel helps her, along with other talking animals. The journey to find the girl's family takes up the bulk of the plot. The adventures along the way make this a page-turner and not at all boring or redundant. New characters with differing persona are introduced, as well. Talking flowers, royalty, love, and gloom fill the pages, reminiscent of "Alice in Wonderland." The climax of the book comes when the girl must part with her beloved pony and the newly changed pony must return to her home. How has she changed? Read to find out!

This book is a cherished piece of work that is sure to please kids of all ages. The excellent illustrations bring the story to life and even inspire readers to try their own hand at sketching. Also, the large print makes this book easy to read and not too time consuming. For children, it is more like a delightful fairytale that they can understand. For adult, it is a novella that reminds them of the time when they got lost in magical stories. Many little lessons are imprinted into this book (e.g., how to cope with death, how to say goodbye to friends, why drinking and driving is bad, how it is good to stay clean, why tolerance is a blessing, etc.). Even self esteem lessons are included as the youngest pony is seen as lesser than her two gorgeous sisters in the beginning. Towards the end, the young pony learns that she is perfect just how she is. While females might enjoy this pony tale more than males, the book is still a shining star that all should collect on their bookshelves.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA

Magic in the Mirrorstone

This book consists of fifteen short fantasy stories. Each of them are different in their own way, creating fifteen little worlds to explore. The authors that created these fantasies are acclaimed fantasy authors as well as bestselling authors. There are many different tones in this book, that will keep you entertained for a time. They all contain varied ways of captivating you, so be ready.

I thought that the group of authors selected did a very good job on using their talents to create a different adventure to a new world. All of them interested me and brought a new tone and a new way of creating a fantasy story. I was very happy with the description in all of the stories and most of them held fast paces, that kept me reading. This is a great way of seeing what each author has to offer and taking notice to their writing styles.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, PA United States

The Dark Ferryman by Jenna Rhodes

Warrior Queen Lariel Anderieon is faced with inevitable battle. Plagued with worries and visions she prepares for a battle against the Galdarkan warlord, Abayan Diort. She calls upon staunch friends and uneasy allies in order to have enough support for the upcoming war. While preparing, the ancient Raymy attack the shores of Kerith. An unholy alliance between this ancient foe and Quendius, the half-breed weaponsmith intends to bring both Vaelinar and Galdarkan to their knees. The Hand of the Queen, the half-breed Sevryn, would lay down his life to protect his lady Rivergrace, and his queen. When Rivergrace is accused of treachery he has to choose between the two. With his love imprisoned and a demon struggling to possess him, what will he choose?

I enjoyed this book very much. It took me several chapters to get into it but once I did I couldn't put it down. The enduring love of Sevryn and Rivergrace pulled me into their story. Jenna Rhodes used descriptive language to make the settings and situations flow off the page and into the reader's heart and mind. The treachery and hurt that the characters suffered made my heart ache and I rejoiced with them during times of joy. Reading this book had given me a new author to look for and a new series to enjoy.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Massachusetts USA

The Devil's Paintbox

This novel is historical fiction set in the western United
States during the 1860s. The story focuses on Aiden Lynch
and his sister Maddy, orphans who are facing starvation on a farm
in a deserted area of Kansas. Their adventure begins when they join up with Jefferson J. Jackson, a guide looking for men to work in lumber camps
in Seattle. Aiden convinces Jackson that he will make a
strong worker once he eats more, so Jackson allows the two
to join his wagon train heading west. While on the trail,
friends and enemies are made and, most significantly, Aiden
befriends several Indians along the trail after they save
his life. Eventually Aiden must take bold action to help
the Indians as they battle a smallpox outbreak. This
trial, as well as many others, tests Aiden and his
friendships with both the travelers and the Indians.

I enjoyed this book more than I was anticipating. I normally
do not read historical fiction, but I found this novel
entertaining. Although the plot is uncomplicated, with few
surprises, the characters and the settings are very
interesting. The diverse characters, both male and female,
provide interesting snapshots of how people lived during
this period in history. The settings range from the plains
of Kansas, through mountains and rivers of the western
U.S., to lumber camps near Seattle. While reading this
book I also learned some interesting facts about smallpox
and Native Americans in U.S. history. I recommend this
book for anyone.

Content: 1
Rating: 9
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Royersford, PA United States

Return To Sender by Julia Alvarez

In Return to Sender by Julie Alvarez, the main character, Tyler, finds out his father has hired illegal immigrants to work on their failing farm. Tyler's father had been in a tractor accident resulting in his inability to work or run the farm. Tyler is infuriated to find that his dad is breaking the law. Many times, Tyler considers telling the authorities or his teachers about the Mexicans working on the farm. After a few weeks, he meets the three daughters of one of the workers, develops a close relationship with Mari, the oldest of the three. Eventually Homeland Security Officers pay a visit to the farm and deport the entire family. Tyler realizes how complicated immigration issues are because Mari's mother is in trouble and they can not tell the police for fear of being deported. There is a surprise ending, so read Return to Sender if you want to find out what happens after these Mexican farm workers are caught.

This book was gripping. The story of the three daughters captivates you, and holds your attention. I've never read any other books like this one; it is really original and worth the time and effort that it takes to read it. It took a while to get into, but after page 20, it is hard to put down. Overall, this is a well written and interesting book. I would recommend it for ages 10 and up.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hingham, MA USA

The Remarkable and Very True Story of Lucy and Snowcap

The Remarkable and Very True Story of Lucy and Snowcap, by H.M.Bouwamn, is a fantasy book about two different girls and their lifestyles. Lucy's tribe, the Colay, owned several small islands. But when a British ship crashed, the passengers, the Anglish, started taking over. They also began to blame murders on the Colay people, and mysterious things happened to both tribes. When Lucy is told to kill her baby brother, the last baby born to the Colay, she knows she must save him. Snowcap, the Child Governor of the Anglish, finds a horrible plot and starts to uncover the mystery of the two groups. When the girls meet, they must help each other and save the tribes.

I think people who like Shannon Hale will enjoy this book. I found that it was very similar to the basic plot of The Princess Academy. It was a very easy read and would probably be a lot more interesting to 9 and 10 year olds. I would only recommend this book to young fantasy fans who can handle a slightly dull plot. I also disliked that a lot of the book talked about history, which I found annoying when I just wanted to stick to the storyline. It skips around a lot, focusing on different characters every chapter. The end was rushed, only giving a brief summmary of what happens next and exactly how the book even ended. Overall, it was an interesting story, but not very descriptive or focused to the main idea.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, MA USA

Hunted by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

The House of Night, the school for vampyre fledglings, is no longer safe. The High Priestess (principal), Neferet, has turned away from the vampyre goddess, Nyx, and joined forces with the fallen angel Kalona and his Raven Mockers. Humans and vampyres alike are being attacked and no one is safe.

Enter Zoey Redbird, the fledgling with an unusual affinity for all of the elements. She is the only one that can defeat Neferet and Kalona because of her gift. The only problem is getting into the House of Night (which is guarded heavily), finding a way to banish Kalona back to where he came, and sorting out her twisted love life. That doesn't sound too hard, does it?

I absolutely loved this book. I really liked the way that the authors were able to tell what had happened in the previous books; this allowed me to be able to follow along completely even though I had not read the previous books. I enjoyed the story line very much and thought that the authors had correctly portrayed the mind of a teenager. The addition of Zoey's romance problems adds an interesting twist to the story.

I would recommend this book to vampyre fans and anyone who would enjoy a wondrous fantasy story.

Reviewer Age:15

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

Rating: 9

Content Rating: 1