James and Emily, brother and sister, both see a small mysterious creature exit from their room into a little space of light. They went in different times so they went to different parts of a strange place. James was closest to the candy king's land while Emily was closer to the tooth fairies. James finds a candy land where all the creatures are made of candy. He soon meets the king and finds out they candy king is at war with the tooth fairies. They are fighting over the lost teeth of children. Each tooth contains some energy. The tooth fairies need it for their magic and the candy monsters need it for making new candy creatures. James attacks the tooth fairies but turns to the fairies side after his sister explained the tooth fairies' reasoning to him. With the help of a dragon, the tooth fairies defeat the candy king and corner him in a cave. They then realize that the candy king is the queen tooth fairies' son.
I thought the book was awesome. I would recommend it to all my friends. I love how the author wrote in both James' and Emily's perspectives on the war so you can see both sides of the story. I think it's really unique how she puts brother and sister on different sides of the war. We all know that brothers and sister fight sometimes but R.G. cordiner made it as if they were fighting on different sides of a war - which they were. They just did not know that the other was on the other side.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: katy, texas USA
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Rags and Riches by Mary Pope Osborne
Rags and Riches: Kids in the Time of Charles Dickens is a book by Mary Pope Osborne that is perfect for young kids who want to learn more about history. It is a good background for Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". This book will help kids better understand what society was like in the 1800's. It describes the lifestyle of children in the lower classes, orphanages, and workhouses as well as how children in the middle or upper classes spent their time.
Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce have done an excellent job in their account of life in 19th century London, England in their new book Rags and Riches Kids in the Times of Charles Dickens. They describe in page turning words what life is like for both rich kids and poor kids during that time.
The details given by the main characters Jack and Annie describe everything from clothing and work to vacations and royalty and the illustrations make the words on the page come to life. Much of the novel is spent as seen through the great author Charles Dicken's eyes and how he saw life around him. It is this life that he depicts in his well known novels A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist.
I highly recommend this book because not only is it fun to read, but also because you will learn so much about a fascinating time in history.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cary, NC USA
Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce have done an excellent job in their account of life in 19th century London, England in their new book Rags and Riches Kids in the Times of Charles Dickens. They describe in page turning words what life is like for both rich kids and poor kids during that time.
The details given by the main characters Jack and Annie describe everything from clothing and work to vacations and royalty and the illustrations make the words on the page come to life. Much of the novel is spent as seen through the great author Charles Dicken's eyes and how he saw life around him. It is this life that he depicts in his well known novels A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist.
I highly recommend this book because not only is it fun to read, but also because you will learn so much about a fascinating time in history.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Cary, NC USA
The Wolf Tree by John Claude Bemis
Shuckstack is a safe home for children, but soon, nowhere will be safe. The Darkness is coming, and the only way to stop it is to destroy 'The Machine', or as some call it, The Clockwork Dark. Three groups of travelers set out: Jolie the siren, and Conker, the giant, thought to be dead; Ray the Rambler, with his crow, B'hoy, Redfeather the Indian, and Marisol; lastly, the lone traveler Sally, Ray's sister, who later joins with Hethy an Quorl. Each group has thier own goals, but, even if unknowingly, they all lead to one source - defeating the Darkness. When the 3 groups meet with the rougarou, part human, part animal, at the Great Tree, they realize- things are more disastrous then they thought.
First thing I have to say is - this book was really confusing.(Even more so than The Fire Eternal series, if you've read that.) It really doesn't help that there were ten or so characters in the first couple of chapters. After reading to chapter 10 or so, it was less confusing, but still a little hard to understand. I think it is because this is the second book, so you definitely need to read the first before reading this. Other than that, the book was okay. It was interesting to read about the affects of the darkness, and loved the part with the rougarou and the Great Tree. In all, the book was okay, once you understood it.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Santa Fe, TX USA
First thing I have to say is - this book was really confusing.(Even more so than The Fire Eternal series, if you've read that.) It really doesn't help that there were ten or so characters in the first couple of chapters. After reading to chapter 10 or so, it was less confusing, but still a little hard to understand. I think it is because this is the second book, so you definitely need to read the first before reading this. Other than that, the book was okay. It was interesting to read about the affects of the darkness, and loved the part with the rougarou and the Great Tree. In all, the book was okay, once you understood it.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Santa Fe, TX USA
Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel by David Goodberg
"Here I am. Or better said, here I all am. Five clones of myself and I are about to play some three-on-three basketball. Who will win? How in the world are we going to decide who starts with the ball if we are exactly the same?"
Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel by David Goodberg is a book full of hilarious tales of cloning, time travelling, and alien planets. The book takes place in the future when time travel companies have become as normal as Wal-Mart stores. For example, in the story The Perfectionist, a lady, Jane Swanson, uses time travel to go back into her past to make her life better. Jane tells her former self lottery numbers and useful information for the future. Once she has cautioned her priego, he former self, Jane goes back to the future with an entirely new life. She is rich beyond belief and has the best family. Jane believes she is now truly happy. Although, some time travels don't necessarily work out well. In the story '21x' a man named Ben Bucksley acquires a little plastic watch. The only thing the watch says on it is '21x'. Ben presses buttons on the watch, but it doesn't work. Ben tries to fix it, but realizes he can't. He holds on to the watch so maybe he can give it to someone else or try again later. By holding onto the watch, Ben finds out there is more to the watch than being a plastic piece of junk. The watch really reverses time by twenty-one minutes. Ben uses this with caution at first, but then the power drives him crazy. Eventually, the watch appears to stop working and Ben is caught. Stories like 'The Perfectionist' and '21x' are just the beginning of even more wacky and entertaining tales that Goodberg takes the reader on.
David Goodberg's short stories aren't just humorous, but very thought provoking. Every story has a message behind it, whether the story is one page long or three pages long. Each story has the same setting and future-lingo though. If a reader were to just pick up the book and start with the very beginning story and not read the prologue, it would be confusing. The prologue was nice to have and cleared up many of the questions from the beginning. Goodberg's novel isn't a Douglas Adams book where it is almost pure satire, but it does have it's funny parts and sad parts. I really enjoyed Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel and I would recommend it to young adults because some of the stories of death can be graphic.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America
Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel by David Goodberg is a book full of hilarious tales of cloning, time travelling, and alien planets. The book takes place in the future when time travel companies have become as normal as Wal-Mart stores. For example, in the story The Perfectionist, a lady, Jane Swanson, uses time travel to go back into her past to make her life better. Jane tells her former self lottery numbers and useful information for the future. Once she has cautioned her priego, he former self, Jane goes back to the future with an entirely new life. She is rich beyond belief and has the best family. Jane believes she is now truly happy. Although, some time travels don't necessarily work out well. In the story '21x' a man named Ben Bucksley acquires a little plastic watch. The only thing the watch says on it is '21x'. Ben presses buttons on the watch, but it doesn't work. Ben tries to fix it, but realizes he can't. He holds on to the watch so maybe he can give it to someone else or try again later. By holding onto the watch, Ben finds out there is more to the watch than being a plastic piece of junk. The watch really reverses time by twenty-one minutes. Ben uses this with caution at first, but then the power drives him crazy. Eventually, the watch appears to stop working and Ben is caught. Stories like 'The Perfectionist' and '21x' are just the beginning of even more wacky and entertaining tales that Goodberg takes the reader on.
David Goodberg's short stories aren't just humorous, but very thought provoking. Every story has a message behind it, whether the story is one page long or three pages long. Each story has the same setting and future-lingo though. If a reader were to just pick up the book and start with the very beginning story and not read the prologue, it would be confusing. The prologue was nice to have and cleared up many of the questions from the beginning. Goodberg's novel isn't a Douglas Adams book where it is almost pure satire, but it does have it's funny parts and sad parts. I really enjoyed Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel and I would recommend it to young adults because some of the stories of death can be graphic.
Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America
I Am Here by Ema Toyama
Sumino? Who is Sumino? No one seems to know the answer -except for the most popular boy in the class, Hinata. Sumino lacks self-esteem and fears that she will live her life without ever being seen. She has two friends in the world, but they are people who she does not know personally. Sumino knows them from the Internet because they read her blog and give insightful comments. When Hinata finally talks to Sumino, she is overjoyed that someone notices her. The other girls in the class do not feel the same glee. Invisible Sumino may be able to grow in the light that Hinata shines upon her, but she must overcome the other girls first.
I believe that i am here! accurately describes the life of a young girl who is a loner. The reader instantly feels sympathy for Sumino as she encounters other students who run into her or claim that they never saw her because she is invisible. Anyone who has felt left out may connect with Sumino. The hope that Hinata gives her is equivalent to a true friend that one may make in real life. Being a manga, the drawings are done very well, and the facial expressions of the characters match the tone of the book. I recommend this book to someone who likes to read female manga and to those who feel like the character Sumino matches their own situations. This manga is inspirational and shows the benefits to working hard for what you want to achieve.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America
I believe that i am here! accurately describes the life of a young girl who is a loner. The reader instantly feels sympathy for Sumino as she encounters other students who run into her or claim that they never saw her because she is invisible. Anyone who has felt left out may connect with Sumino. The hope that Hinata gives her is equivalent to a true friend that one may make in real life. Being a manga, the drawings are done very well, and the facial expressions of the characters match the tone of the book. I recommend this book to someone who likes to read female manga and to those who feel like the character Sumino matches their own situations. This manga is inspirational and shows the benefits to working hard for what you want to achieve.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Carlisle, Pennsylvania United States of America
Penny Dreadful by Laurel Snyder
The book Penny Dreadful is about a girl named Penelope Grey, she comes from a wealthy family that lives in a mansion, has a tutor, and many other pleasures. While Penelope enjoys her life she often longs for something unexpected to happen, much like the things that occur in the books she reads. One day she decides to make a wish that something exciting will happen. Little did she know that the wish she made would give her more than she bargained for. About a week later, Penelope's father, Dirk, came home from his work and exclaimed some very shocking news: he had quit his job so he could write a book! Over next few weeks the Grey family started to lose money. The house turned into a pit of despair, the house employees started leaving, the lights were left off, the laundry wasn't done and Delia, Penelope's mother spent hours up in her room crying. Then a telegram came announcing that Delia Grey had inherited a house far away from the city. So the Grey's decided to rent out the mansion they owned and move to the country. They arrive to find the house, named the Whippoorwillows, is divided into apartments, and they will only have one apartment to live in. Penelope meets many kids her age and changes her name to Penny. She likes her new life as a country girl and has lots of fun. Then she hears her parents discussing the lack of money. If they can't find enough money they will lose the house and have to move back to the city. Can Penelope find the hidden treasure and save the Whippoorwillows, or will her family and the others find themselves without houses?
I found this book very interesting, because I could relate to Penny and her desire for something new and adventurous to happen. The characters in this book were very interesting and very well described. I also enjoyed the fact that the author used a lot of dialogue, since it helped me visualize the story more accurately. I would recommend this books to readers between 8-10 years old. The book as a whole was very good but I liked the ending better than the beginning because the beginning seemed to talk about the same things for a long time and continued to mention them to frequently.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Boothwyn, PA USA
I found this book very interesting, because I could relate to Penny and her desire for something new and adventurous to happen. The characters in this book were very interesting and very well described. I also enjoyed the fact that the author used a lot of dialogue, since it helped me visualize the story more accurately. I would recommend this books to readers between 8-10 years old. The book as a whole was very good but I liked the ending better than the beginning because the beginning seemed to talk about the same things for a long time and continued to mention them to frequently.
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Boothwyn, PA USA
Old Photographs by Sherie Posesorski
When Phoebe Hecht offers her help to a sweet, but
confused elderly woman, she has no idea how drastically
this will affect the rest of her summer. The main
character of Old Photographs, by Sherie Posesorski,
Phoebe, has been going on solitary bike rides through town
until she stops at a garage sale and notices Mrs. Tomblin,
a frail old woman, struggling to count money and deal with
customers. Phoebe helps Mrs. Tomblin and becomes almost
like a grandchild to the old woman. After Mrs. Tomblin s
house is broken into, and several valuable photographs are
taken, it is up to Phoebe and her friends Colin and Yuri
to solve the crime and determine the culprit in this fast-
paced mystery.
The prospect of a mystery is enough to
tempt any reader, but Old Photographs was unfortunately
lacking in several areas. The plot, for example, seemed
slightly forced and predictable, such as the
confrontations between Phoebe and her mother. Also, the
language was too loose and informal for my taste. However,
I did enjoy getting to know some of the characters, who,
for the most part, were fresh and original. I was
disappointed with the mystery aspect, because it was
fairly easy to identify the culprit from the beginning. I
would not recommend this book because it was written at a
low level and not worth the time it took to read it.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Bayside, WI U.S.A.
confused elderly woman, she has no idea how drastically
this will affect the rest of her summer. The main
character of Old Photographs, by Sherie Posesorski,
Phoebe, has been going on solitary bike rides through town
until she stops at a garage sale and notices Mrs. Tomblin,
a frail old woman, struggling to count money and deal with
customers. Phoebe helps Mrs. Tomblin and becomes almost
like a grandchild to the old woman. After Mrs. Tomblin s
house is broken into, and several valuable photographs are
taken, it is up to Phoebe and her friends Colin and Yuri
to solve the crime and determine the culprit in this fast-
paced mystery.
The prospect of a mystery is enough to
tempt any reader, but Old Photographs was unfortunately
lacking in several areas. The plot, for example, seemed
slightly forced and predictable, such as the
confrontations between Phoebe and her mother. Also, the
language was too loose and informal for my taste. However,
I did enjoy getting to know some of the characters, who,
for the most part, were fresh and original. I was
disappointed with the mystery aspect, because it was
fairly easy to identify the culprit from the beginning. I
would not recommend this book because it was written at a
low level and not worth the time it took to read it.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country:
Bayside, WI U.S.A.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Shadowspell by Jenna Black
Sometimes people place fear in others, when really they
should fear themselves. Dana Hathaway has finally got
some order to her life and can now come and go from her
hideout fairly easily without too much hassle, but when
the Erlking and his posse come to town, all of that
changes. Her father fears that the Erlking was sent by
the Courts to eliminate Dana and has more or less set her
on lockdown unless she necessarily has to leave, taking at
least two bodyguards with her. When the Erlking saves
Dana from the clutches of her dear, evil aunt Grace and
her hiree, she begins to wonder if he isn't out to hurt
her after all, but when he tricks Ethan, Dana's sort of
boyfriend, into attacking him and then takes him as his
slave, Dana is without a doubt confused. She has no idea
what he wants from her, but she knows that she must get
Ethan back, but what Dana doesn't realize is how dangerous
it can be to bargain with the Erlking.
The second
installment in the Fairewalker series, Shadowspell, was an
enjoying read and had me guessing as to what was come
throughout the entire novel. Although I enjoyed reading
Shadowspell, I probably would have enjoyed the story more
if the setting was not located all around the same area
throughout the entire novel; it made for less intrigue
because the main character did not really go anywhere
besides her safehouse and a little around town. I was
captivated by the overall appeal of the new main
character, the Erlking, which the author, Jenna Black,
added to the story; scenes that included him always kept
my attention and made the plotline much more interesting.
Surprised by how much Dana had grown as a person overall,
I was overjoyed to see that she had definitely matured.
The author did well with creating interesting details and
adding surprises through-out, which really helped the flow
of the story. The second novel in the riveting
Fairewalker Series, Shadowspell, was just as satisfying as
the first and leaves off at a perfect place for a
promising continuation in the third.
There was a small
amount of inappropriate language as well as sexuality and
sexual references and suggestions.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA USA
should fear themselves. Dana Hathaway has finally got
some order to her life and can now come and go from her
hideout fairly easily without too much hassle, but when
the Erlking and his posse come to town, all of that
changes. Her father fears that the Erlking was sent by
the Courts to eliminate Dana and has more or less set her
on lockdown unless she necessarily has to leave, taking at
least two bodyguards with her. When the Erlking saves
Dana from the clutches of her dear, evil aunt Grace and
her hiree, she begins to wonder if he isn't out to hurt
her after all, but when he tricks Ethan, Dana's sort of
boyfriend, into attacking him and then takes him as his
slave, Dana is without a doubt confused. She has no idea
what he wants from her, but she knows that she must get
Ethan back, but what Dana doesn't realize is how dangerous
it can be to bargain with the Erlking.
The second
installment in the Fairewalker series, Shadowspell, was an
enjoying read and had me guessing as to what was come
throughout the entire novel. Although I enjoyed reading
Shadowspell, I probably would have enjoyed the story more
if the setting was not located all around the same area
throughout the entire novel; it made for less intrigue
because the main character did not really go anywhere
besides her safehouse and a little around town. I was
captivated by the overall appeal of the new main
character, the Erlking, which the author, Jenna Black,
added to the story; scenes that included him always kept
my attention and made the plotline much more interesting.
Surprised by how much Dana had grown as a person overall,
I was overjoyed to see that she had definitely matured.
The author did well with creating interesting details and
adding surprises through-out, which really helped the flow
of the story. The second novel in the riveting
Fairewalker Series, Shadowspell, was just as satisfying as
the first and leaves off at a perfect place for a
promising continuation in the third.
There was a small
amount of inappropriate language as well as sexuality and
sexual references and suggestions.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA USA
The Crescent by Jordan Deen
Lacey thinks that she is a normal teenager, but comes to find she is wrong.
She meets two guys - Alex and Brandon. Her heart tells her she loves Alex, her mind tells her she loves Brandon. Then, she starts to have reactions to certain people, and her senses are heightened. Brandon tells her it is because she is close to transforming -into a werewolf- and she is not with him, her true, destined mate. Lacey can't bear to hurt Alex, but she doesn't want to sign Brandon's death contract, for werewolves will die without their mate. She can't think of any way out of it, and soon she will be forced to make a decision.
I noticed on the first page alone that this book would be hard to read, there were almost no commas, and apostrophes were often misused. It made the reading slower and took the normal flow of proper grammar out. As for the story itself, it was interesting how the author viewed werewolves, they were described as much more caring and loyal than the cold-blooded beasts we normally see them as. The conflict between Alex and Brandon over Lacey's love was always shifting, one would gain the upper hand, only to fall back again. The end surprised me, and in all the book was okay.
Language and intimate relationships, some bed scenes
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Santa Fe, TX USA
She meets two guys - Alex and Brandon. Her heart tells her she loves Alex, her mind tells her she loves Brandon. Then, she starts to have reactions to certain people, and her senses are heightened. Brandon tells her it is because she is close to transforming -into a werewolf- and she is not with him, her true, destined mate. Lacey can't bear to hurt Alex, but she doesn't want to sign Brandon's death contract, for werewolves will die without their mate. She can't think of any way out of it, and soon she will be forced to make a decision.
I noticed on the first page alone that this book would be hard to read, there were almost no commas, and apostrophes were often misused. It made the reading slower and took the normal flow of proper grammar out. As for the story itself, it was interesting how the author viewed werewolves, they were described as much more caring and loyal than the cold-blooded beasts we normally see them as. The conflict between Alex and Brandon over Lacey's love was always shifting, one would gain the upper hand, only to fall back again. The end surprised me, and in all the book was okay.
Language and intimate relationships, some bed scenes
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Santa Fe, TX USA
Sugar Changed The World by Marc Aronson
Sugar Changed the World, by Marc Aronson, is a tale full of adventure, history, human cruelty, and of course- sugar! Marc Aronson tells you his family history- while at the same time telling you how sugar changed everything. Through these true events and stories, you see how slavery was a BIG part of sugar. You start to wonder if that wonderful spice was worth all of the suffering. Throughout the story you learn all kinds of interesting details about sugar, but at the same time you learn a lot about humans in general. If you ever wonder where slavery came from, then this is the book for you.
Sugar Changed the World was an amazing book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who ever wonders about slavery. Throughout the story I began to wonder if we even deserve sugar with the way people were treated. The author really helps you connect with the slaves, but he helps you understand the slaveholders intentions too. This book is very well researched and is full of all kinds of interesting facts and opinions. You learn a lot about how sugar was invented while you read. Anyone who likes sugar would like this book!
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Broken Arrow, Ok united states
Sugar Changed the World was an amazing book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who ever wonders about slavery. Throughout the story I began to wonder if we even deserve sugar with the way people were treated. The author really helps you connect with the slaves, but he helps you understand the slaveholders intentions too. This book is very well researched and is full of all kinds of interesting facts and opinions. You learn a lot about how sugar was invented while you read. Anyone who likes sugar would like this book!
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Broken Arrow, Ok united states
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