"Ignatius Macfarland" by Paul Feig is a fast-paced, fantastical novel. Ignatius (AKA Iggy) is picked on at school and builds a makeshift rocket in a vain attempt to go into outer space and befriend aliens that won't make fun of him. When his rocket explodes, he wakes up in a parallel universe with wild creatures and peculiar surroundings. Iggy finds his old English teacher also blew himself up and landed in the same exact place. This teacher is the president of the land, and he has been enforcing the creatures, forcing them to bend to his will, and making them believe he came up with inventions that were really made back on Earth.
The suspense and action are phenomenal as Iggy and his friends are hunted down by the English teacher's army; he fears that Iggy and his friends will undermine / usurp him. A shocking twist is at the end, both with regards to the English teacher's motives for tyranny and with whether or not Iggy returns home. There is some romance in the novel as Iggy is infatuated with a girl from the parallel universe. However, it is not at all vulgar or perverse (Iggy is twelve, and the audience is meant to be preteen). The way in which Feig writes is simple yet unusually unique. "'K-kill her?' Mr. Arthur said, the words sticking in his throat like saltine crackers when you try to swallow a bunch of them without any water" (Feig, 320).
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Brand-New Emily by Ginger Rue
"Brand-New Emily" by Ginger Rue is a dramatic girl's book. In eighth grade, Emily is picked on by the popular Daisy clique. One day, she simply can not take it anymore, and she hires a publicist to make her popular. That same publicist works for a teenage heartthrob. When Emily reveals she knows a secret that could destroy the star, the publicist agrees to work for Emily. As Emily transforms, she becomes a whole new person. Drama ensues when the teenage heartthrob becomes entwined in the publicist's plan. Matters get worse when Emily does not like the person she has become.
This book fully captures the world of school for young teenagers. The taunting and humiliation that Emily faces in the beginning of the book are horrifyingly plausible. Also, the publicist part is fun, especially when public relations lingo is interspersed. While teens may not be able to hire / blackmail others into giving them Hollywood-style help, they learn what a good makeover can do. Also, by the end of the book, teen girls realize that popularity comes at a price--oneself.
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA
This book fully captures the world of school for young teenagers. The taunting and humiliation that Emily faces in the beginning of the book are horrifyingly plausible. Also, the publicist part is fun, especially when public relations lingo is interspersed. While teens may not be able to hire / blackmail others into giving them Hollywood-style help, they learn what a good makeover can do. Also, by the end of the book, teen girls realize that popularity comes at a price--oneself.
Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island, NY USA
Nebula Awards Showcase 2009 by Ellen Datlow
This book is a grand overview of 2008's best work in Science Fiction and Fantasy. It encompasses both writing and screen work. The winners and nominees featured vary in length and topic. Also included are short essays predicting the future of both the science fiction and fantasy genres.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The greater majority of the award-winning selections were a good representation of the genres of SF and Fantasy. The stories widely varied in their structures as well as topics including poetry, excerpts from novels, novelettes, and short stories.Because the entire book was a collection of short stories, excerpts, and essays, I often found myself having to go back to the beginning of a section and rereading it, paying close attention to what I was reading. I would recommend this book for readers that enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy and are comfortable with different and possibly controversial topics.Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It's a good book to read to pass the time or over a break.
This book had both controversial and profane topics and language.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The greater majority of the award-winning selections were a good representation of the genres of SF and Fantasy. The stories widely varied in their structures as well as topics including poetry, excerpts from novels, novelettes, and short stories.Because the entire book was a collection of short stories, excerpts, and essays, I often found myself having to go back to the beginning of a section and rereading it, paying close attention to what I was reading. I would recommend this book for readers that enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy and are comfortable with different and possibly controversial topics.Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It's a good book to read to pass the time or over a break.
This book had both controversial and profane topics and language.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States
Creature of the Night, by Kate Thompsen
Bobby isn't your typical teenager from Dublin. He's part of a gang that steals cars, money, phones, iPods, and anything they can get their hands on. It's hard-wired into his brain. So, when his ma makes him move to the middle-of-nowhere to keep him out of trouble, naturally, Bobby isn't happy. He tries to find a way back to Dublin, but instead ends up having to work on a farm for his landlord. From them, Bobby hears about the child who got murdered in the house he's living in, and the previous tenant who disappeared. Then, his little brother starts obsessing over a little fairy woman who comes to visit in the night, and somehow, his house just doesn't seem that safe anymore. Join Bobby as he lives on the edge, dealing with his crazy brother and money-challenged ma, just trying to figure it all out before something horrific happens to someone else.
Creature of the Night is a fictional story with a little bit of horror and suspense stuffed in. It's got a very raw feeling, as if you're there with the people, and they don't care whether you're there or not. Everyone in the story has some type of attitude, which adds to the tension you feel. As you read, you can feel the main character, Bobby, changing in the way he thinks and feels toward others. The setting is described in a way where there's not too much detail, but just enough to let your imagination fill in the blanks. I really liked this book because it seemed so real, aside from the fairy part. I would recommend Creature of the Night to anyone who likes suspenseful, rough-around-the-edges books. This book is best for older teens, since bad language is used a lot. It was very exhilarating book!
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: coatesville, pa usa
Creature of the Night is a fictional story with a little bit of horror and suspense stuffed in. It's got a very raw feeling, as if you're there with the people, and they don't care whether you're there or not. Everyone in the story has some type of attitude, which adds to the tension you feel. As you read, you can feel the main character, Bobby, changing in the way he thinks and feels toward others. The setting is described in a way where there's not too much detail, but just enough to let your imagination fill in the blanks. I really liked this book because it seemed so real, aside from the fairy part. I would recommend Creature of the Night to anyone who likes suspenseful, rough-around-the-edges books. This book is best for older teens, since bad language is used a lot. It was very exhilarating book!
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: coatesville, pa usa
The Spy Who Haunted Me, by Simon Green
In 'The Spy Who Haunted Me' Simon Green creates a wonderful world that teaches us value. Edwin Drood is part of a very highly regarded family, who help protect humanity. He works for his family as a field agent. His undercover name is Shaman Bond. He is sent off on a mission to stop what is going to happen to the London Tower. He sets off with a group that is planning to kill all the famous London Ravens. Drood starts off going along with it, but at the end he stops Big Aus (the Leader) from stealing the Crown Jewels.
Later on Drood is sent off again, but this time it is to win a game.
The famous Independent Agent sets up a game for 6 chosen spies and field agents. They are all competing for all the knowledge and treasures of the Independent Agent. During the competition 2 agents die and 1 goes missing. Drood and Walker, a fellow competitor, return to the Independent Agent's house to discover that Independent Agent has been competing all along as his grandson, Peter King. He will never give up his secrets. In the end, Walker and Drood blow up the Independent Agent's house, with him in it.
The author does a good job describing things and it is fairly easy to put your mind into the places the main characters go. You can get the feel of suspense as you read. I like Edwin Drood and his undercover identity, Shaman Bond. The author's voice was very distinct and was very British (colour, favourite). The vocabulary met the standards of the age group. Green does a good job with description and dialogue. He fails at little things. This book makes it to the top of my sci-fi list. I found it very interesting and it was hard to put down. The ending was very surprising. I would definitely recommend it to others.
I gave it a 3 because it was in the adult section of the bookstore and it had more adult-rated descriptions.
Reviewer Age:12, Mt. Pleasant, SC USA
Later on Drood is sent off again, but this time it is to win a game.
The famous Independent Agent sets up a game for 6 chosen spies and field agents. They are all competing for all the knowledge and treasures of the Independent Agent. During the competition 2 agents die and 1 goes missing. Drood and Walker, a fellow competitor, return to the Independent Agent's house to discover that Independent Agent has been competing all along as his grandson, Peter King. He will never give up his secrets. In the end, Walker and Drood blow up the Independent Agent's house, with him in it.
The author does a good job describing things and it is fairly easy to put your mind into the places the main characters go. You can get the feel of suspense as you read. I like Edwin Drood and his undercover identity, Shaman Bond. The author's voice was very distinct and was very British (colour, favourite). The vocabulary met the standards of the age group. Green does a good job with description and dialogue. He fails at little things. This book makes it to the top of my sci-fi list. I found it very interesting and it was hard to put down. The ending was very surprising. I would definitely recommend it to others.
I gave it a 3 because it was in the adult section of the bookstore and it had more adult-rated descriptions.
Reviewer Age:12, Mt. Pleasant, SC USA
Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker
Music-loving Quinn is going to be an intern at Amalgam Records in Austin, the company that signed her favorite band, the Walters. So she's off to Texas to stay with her cousin Penny, a girl who is president of her sorority and is nothing like Quinn, whose wardrobe consists of jeans and t-shirts of her favorite bands. Nevertheless, Quinn is all ready to hit the Austin music scene and snag the perfect indie boyfriend. That is, until she meets frat boy Russ, who happens to be Penny's neighbor. He's annoying, likes country music and has the nerve to call Quinn by her real first name, Priscilla. Even though Russ is completely irritating, there's something about him that Quinn likes. Could he end up being the guy for her?
I was really surprised by Lovestruck Summer. I knew it was a romantic comedy, so I was expecting it to be shallow and a little corny. Instead, I was hooked after the first page. I am not like Quinn or her cousin Penny or any of the other characters, but I was able to relate to and become fond of all of them. The romance aspect was a little predictable, but the ending turned out a bit different than how I thought it would. There were a ton of funny moments and quirky things that made this book enjoyable. For example, Quinn's cousin has a cross-dressing dog, which is definitely unique. Things like that made this book stand out from other romantic comedies. I thought Lovestruck Summer was adorable and I can't wait to read Melissa Walker's other books.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States
I was really surprised by Lovestruck Summer. I knew it was a romantic comedy, so I was expecting it to be shallow and a little corny. Instead, I was hooked after the first page. I am not like Quinn or her cousin Penny or any of the other characters, but I was able to relate to and become fond of all of them. The romance aspect was a little predictable, but the ending turned out a bit different than how I thought it would. There were a ton of funny moments and quirky things that made this book enjoyable. For example, Quinn's cousin has a cross-dressing dog, which is definitely unique. Things like that made this book stand out from other romantic comedies. I thought Lovestruck Summer was adorable and I can't wait to read Melissa Walker's other books.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States
Monday, July 06, 2009
The Devil's Queen by Jeanne Kalogridis
Caterina de Medici, the Italian duchess of Florence, has witnessed betrayal and hardship at a young age. As a prisoner of the rebels who wanted to take over Florence, she has suffered through hunger, cold, and the plague. With the help from a horoscopist and prophet, Cosimo Ruggieri, Caterina was able to escape from her captors and be placed in the favor of her uncle, Pope Clement VII. In a political power play, Clement married her to a French prince, where she was forced learn a new language, customs, and name: Catherine, queen of France. But to get what she most desires, first, children, and later, for her children to remain on the throne, Catherine must delve into the black arts and do everything in her power, short of selling her soul.
I learned about Catherine de Medici briefly in history class, when we were discussing the evolution of Protestantism in France, and I decided to read this book to see what else I could learn about her. Jeanne Kalogridis does a great job of using a lot of detail and information to describe Catherine's life. The book is really long, and I felt like I was living Catherine's life along with her as I turned the pages. Upon completion of the novel, I did some research on Catherine, and not everything in the book is accepted fact. A lot of what the author wrote, mostly regarding the black arts Catherine is involved in, are rumors, so they could be true or untrue. Even though the book wasn't completely historically accurate, I liked that I could get a different view on Catherine than what is normally written about her, since Catherine is considered to be a ruthless monarch. Putting aside the disputed authenticity of the book, I can definitely say that The Devil's Queen was entertaining, and any fans of historical fiction will enjoy it.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States
I learned about Catherine de Medici briefly in history class, when we were discussing the evolution of Protestantism in France, and I decided to read this book to see what else I could learn about her. Jeanne Kalogridis does a great job of using a lot of detail and information to describe Catherine's life. The book is really long, and I felt like I was living Catherine's life along with her as I turned the pages. Upon completion of the novel, I did some research on Catherine, and not everything in the book is accepted fact. A lot of what the author wrote, mostly regarding the black arts Catherine is involved in, are rumors, so they could be true or untrue. Even though the book wasn't completely historically accurate, I liked that I could get a different view on Catherine than what is normally written about her, since Catherine is considered to be a ruthless monarch. Putting aside the disputed authenticity of the book, I can definitely say that The Devil's Queen was entertaining, and any fans of historical fiction will enjoy it.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Aston, Pennsylvania United States
Tommy Latrella is expected by everyone to be exactly like his older brother, Jimmy. People just don't seem to realize that Tommy and Jimmy are different. Jimmy died a hero 9/11 and Tommy lives in his shadow. Tommy, who goes by Latrella, decides to run away to Las Vegas to play poker. But first, he wants to make himself look like a hero. When Latrella's prank in a New York City subway station goes horribly wrong, the subway system decides to bring him back in time to 1918. Over the course of the story Latrella visits several different time periods. Will he survive 1918, 1932, and 1942? Will he discover what it means to be a true hero? Read Backtracked by Pedro de Alcantara to find out!
Backtracked was an interesting read for me. I enjoyed the mix of past and present times. There were a few boring parts, though. There also were a few paragraphs that got a little too religious for me. I could relate to some parts of the story because it took place in time periods that I learned about and Latrella visited some historical sites. People who are interested in history, like me, would most likely enjoy Backtracked. Backtracked is a good book.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA USA
Backtracked was an interesting read for me. I enjoyed the mix of past and present times. There were a few boring parts, though. There also were a few paragraphs that got a little too religious for me. I could relate to some parts of the story because it took place in time periods that I learned about and Latrella visited some historical sites. People who are interested in history, like me, would most likely enjoy Backtracked. Backtracked is a good book.
Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA USA
Cool Jewels by Naomi Fujimoto
Cool Jewels is an arts and craft type of book. It is filled with almost a hundred pages split up into groups of beautiful bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and even a small section of other items that can be made with beads. The beginning of the book gives generic instructions about different tools, beads, and teaches you some of the basics of making jewelry. The jewelry featured in this book are extremely fun and colorful. The pages are filled with diverse and unique pictures. Cool Jewels has many different jewelry project ideas.
I think this book is right by being targeted towards teenagers. For younger children it would be more difficult and not be considered beginner. The book has (for the most part) simple and easy directions. The directions are not too wordy and above are pictures showing what to do, but pictures are not always easy to follow. Most of the jewelry in this book take a decent amount of time to make. A piece of jewelry that is easy for one to make, may be difficult for another to, depending on artistic talent. When making your jewelry, you have to know that yours will not turn out exactly the same. The technique, skill, and the beads are going to be different. Although, the author does include many store names where you can buy similar beads and tools. Cool Jewels provides fun time to spend with friends on a rainy day.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gochland, VA USA
I think this book is right by being targeted towards teenagers. For younger children it would be more difficult and not be considered beginner. The book has (for the most part) simple and easy directions. The directions are not too wordy and above are pictures showing what to do, but pictures are not always easy to follow. Most of the jewelry in this book take a decent amount of time to make. A piece of jewelry that is easy for one to make, may be difficult for another to, depending on artistic talent. When making your jewelry, you have to know that yours will not turn out exactly the same. The technique, skill, and the beads are going to be different. Although, the author does include many store names where you can buy similar beads and tools. Cool Jewels provides fun time to spend with friends on a rainy day.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gochland, VA USA
Why Do Horses Have Manes?
"Why Do Horses Have Manes?" by Elizabeth Macleod is an
informative non-fiction book. The format of the book has a
paragraph per page. The writing answers questions about
horses. Also, many colorful pictures of horses are
included. There are even some quizzes and match-up games
about horses. Science about horses, as well a popular
culture horses and horse myths, are covered.
informative non-fiction book. The format of the book has a
paragraph per page. The writing answers questions about
horses. Also, many colorful pictures of horses are
included. There are even some quizzes and match-up games
about horses. Science about horses, as well a popular
culture horses and horse myths, are covered.
With only
four chapters and sixty-four pages, this book is not too
daunting for younger readers. There are some terms that
little ones may be unfamiliar with. However, Macleod
defines words in a comprehensible manner. After reading
this book, kids will have a better understanding about
horses. They'll even learn some unusual facts and horse
jokes.
Evolution is discussed
Reviewer
Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Staten Island,
NY USA
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