You'll Like It Here (Everybody Does) by Ruth White

An ordinary family with ordinary problems. Right? But then the town starts talking and uncovers the truth - this "ordinary" family is a family of aliens! The family narrowly escapes in The Carriage, arriving back on Earth, but in an alternate universe. They find themselves in Fashion City, and the people here - well, they're wacko. "Praise the fathers!" and "You'll like it here, everybody does." fills the family's ears. But as they find out, everybody likes it here and praises the fathers because they've been brainwashed! The family decides to leave, and gets some help from a family who haven't quite lost their marbles yet. But, some unexpected problems turn a simple departure into a full-scale escape.

This book was like a modern version of The Giver, by Lois Lowry. There are many differences, of course, but I believe the overall idea is the same. It was a little odd for my tastes, but was still a good book. Every part was exciting , and there were some very, very sudden crazy twists in the story. Sometimes I even went back to make sure I read it right, then went "Whoa! Okay now, this should be interesting." And the book wasn't too far fetched, which was good, and I can tell that the author did a bit of research, or otherwise already knew some things about the topics in the story before it was written. If nothing else, it was a very interesting read, and although I didn't love it it was good.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Santa Fe, TX USA

Coronets and Steel by Sherwood Smith

Kimli Aurelia Atelier is on a mission, gallivanting through Europe to find the missing ancestral link that may save her beloved Grandmother. At first it appears to be an utter failure but, after a few strange experiences, things start to get more exciting. The trip soon transforms into an adventure of fast-paced action, dark secrets, and a doomed love. Mistaken for the princess of a distant country, a place that is disconnected in more ways than one, Kim finds herself in an utterly foreign land searching for answers. She is soon unveiling mysteries she never knew existed but will prove vital to her family, her Grandmother, the continued survival of an entire nation, and her own life.

This is a fascinating novel with a very interesting concept providing the basic plotline. Parts seem a little too contrived and the book did not captivate me in the beginning, but as the pace picked up, I found myself enjoying the novel very much. The writing was fairly basic yet the topic so unexpected and entertaining, I didn t mind. The description was consistently clear and I found myself picturing the scenery as I read, which made and book more realistic and helped me disregard the parts I felt were too unbelievable. Kim is a very strong character, who retains her personality throughout the entirety of the novel and has enough self-reflection that I can clearly understand who she is. Her modern perspective on a very strange situation greatly contributed to my liking the book, as I could relate to the words she used and the connections she was making. The ending of the novel is certainly captivating and, I believe, demands a sequel. I would recommend this novel to those that like the correlation of the modern world we live in and a fantastical one that is far removed from our time, as well as those that like mysteries, adventure and romance.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Needham, MA USA

Element Keepers by E.P Marcellin

Rhet is a young man living with his friend Peteal, in the city of Seatra, where where he skins fish for a living. Suddenly, he is grabbed from the docks with his friend Peteal by nine strangers who can bend the wind to their will. They take him to the strange city of the Y dah for a life imprisonment because they think he will eventually destroy the world.

This book is fabulous. It has a way of holding your interest even when there isn't much happening. The plot was perfect for the amount of pages and the characters were super!This book is amazing!!

Reviewer Age:11

Reviewer City, State and Country: philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States

Noah Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne

This book tells the story of something most children think of at least once in their life-running away. Noah, however, does more then that. He not only runs away, but ends up in an enchanted forest of sorts. There, he meets an old man, who keeps his father's toy shop. The toymaker has some pretty interesting stories, all of which happened in his life. The story goes back and forth from Noah's point of view to the old man's and back again. Eventually, Noah goes home and forgets about the toymaker. When he does come back many years later, the toymaker is not who Noah thought he was.

This book is a combo of fiction and fantasy combined in the best possible way. It is quite easy to relate to this book, as everyone has dreamed of running away at one time, but Noah, the main character, actually does. At first, it is a bit hard to follow the story line, but after the first few chapters it is quite easy to follow along. I enjoyed this book, and the author is able to put a few interesting spins on the story. All in all, I believe readers of all ages will enjoy Noah Barleywater Runs Away.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: n, Indiana United States of America

Stealing the Wild by Beth Hodder

This threesome of friends, Jessie, Will, and Allie, and Jessie's dog Oriole, get themselves in a fair amount of trouble. This book takes place in the middle of nowhere, Schafer Meadows within the Great Bear Wilderness. They get caught up in the middle of the mystery to find out who is poaching animals. However, Jessie's parents don't want her involved in any way, so they have to do a bit of sneaking to pull this off. They made a wrong turn here and there, quite like another character, Lost, who they suspected for quite a time. Eventually, they do find the true thieves.

I enjoyed this book- it is similar to a present day Sherlock Homes. However, these preteens took quite a bit more risks then he did, and they did some sneaking behind their parent's backs. While this book is an enjoying, adventurous read, it got just a bit boring at times. With that in mind, I believe that this book is more geared towards younger kids, but an older kid could enjoy this book as well. All in all, Stealing the Wild is a book that will stick out from the crowd, and you won't forget it easily.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Nappannee, Indiana United States of America

Everfound by Neal Shusterman

One fateful day, Allie and Nick s car crashed on a dangerous road. While trying to get to the light at the end of the tunnel, both were knocked off course and into a land called Everlost. Stubborn Allie tries to find a way to get home, dragging Nick along with her. They meet an ensemble of characters including the charismatic and self-righteous Mary and the hideous monster McGill. Everfound is the concluding novel of the trilogy.

I fell in love with Neal Shusterman after reading his dystopian novel, Unwind. The creativity of the plot, the intricate world he portrayed, the unique characters, the intense pacing of the book just blew me away. Although all these characteristics exist in this trilogy, I felt it was to a lesser extent.

I felt that his cast of characters was truly amazing. The way he wrote the antagonist was really well-done; he didn t just portray her as evil and malicious. In fact, I had to finish the first book in order to figure out who the antagonist really was. Although I found the pacing to be intense on the whole, some parts were a little slow.



The best part of the series, however, was the attention to little details of the world Shusterman creates. Although he touches on a sensitive subject, he never tries to impose his views on the reader. The story wasn t a vehicle to try to persuade the reader to believe in an afterlife. It was simply a story, a testimony of his imagination. Really, the only series with a more intricate world would be the Harry Potter books, and J.K. Rowling had seven books to develop it; Shusterman only has three.



The only problem I had with these books was that they felt a bit censored. Granted, this is geared towards a younger audience, but I feel like the book would have been much more profound if he made his characters older and didn t make it so clean-cut; it would have had much more impact. The subject matter of the books isn t really appropriate for younger kids, and yet, who his audience was. Also, I felt like he could have made his characters a lot more complex. Again, he had a good idea and a good start for his characters but tried to simplify it too much.



Regardless, this trilogy was a fast read, and by the end of the books, I found myself looking at the world with a new perspective. These are a definite read if you re looking for something fresh, creative, and thought-provoking.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Hinsdale, IL USA

Ultimate Guide To Basketball by James Buckley, Jr.

Have you ever wondered how basketball was invented? The complete rules to play the game? Then this is the book for you! It has everything you need to know about basketball. It has tons of facts about every NBA team, trivia for your friends and you, and cool little fact pages about sneakers, the ball and stuff like that. Even if you know everything about basketball this is the book for you!

I really enjoyed this book. I play basketball myself and found it really interesting. A way that I found it interesting is the funky facts for each team. One of them is about the Hacks real live mascot who delayed a game by being perched on the backboard and not going to his trainer. The author does a really good job putting it together. I found it easy to read and follow. I recommend this book to all ages.

Reviewer Age:10

Reviewer City, State and Country: Uxbridge, Ma USA

Leap by Jodi Lundgren

Dance is fifteen-year old Natalie s life. All of her friends dance. There is very little time for boys or friends who don t dance. It is her therapy. Danced helped her through her parents divorce, her father s move halfway across the family and his decision to start a new family one that doesn t include her. Now, in her new status as an adult, Natalie is struggling. She is getting attention from her best friend Sasha' s older brother. But that is not allowed if her relationship with Sasha is to endure. With her budding status as the slut of the dance team, Natalie begins to wonder if dance is making things better or worse.

This book is another one coming of age story. It does, however, take a unique perspective in using the medium and power of dance to convey many of the main character s emotions and tribulations. It is a story of emergence into adulthood, womanhood, confidence and the world of dance. It was a good book for light reading and, although it will not find a place on my "favorites" shelf, it was an enjoyable read.

Reviewer Age:18

Reviewer City, State and Country: New York, NY United States

Don't Touch That Toad by Catherine Rondina

In Catherine Rondina's book don't touch that toad it describes the difference between what parents say is true or not. Such as sitting to close will ruin your eyes. Kids their eyes can focus on the television better therefore making it so that their eyes don't get hurt. So they can sit as close as they want and it will not effect them as much as it will their parents who can't focus on it as well. Catherine Rondina's book was both a delight to read, as well as serving an educational purpose. I would recommend this book to everyone, I have already loaned it to several of my friends and they have all loved it as much as i have.

This book is a delight, it is a great book for kids. This book keeps you locked in to the end with all of the things people tell you and aren't true. Such as eating, and then having to wait an hour to go and swim. I loved this book I sat down and read it from cover to cover and didn't stop. I actually read it multiple times.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: sandy, OR USA

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Lochan and Maya are brother and sister, but they were always more like best friends. When their mother leaves them to live with her boyfriend, they are left taking care of their three younger siblings. Lochan and Maya become closer and closer throughout this experience, so close in fact, that they fall in love. They know that their newfound feelings can send them to prison, but they can t help thinking that their love feels so right. Will their love ruin everything or will they be able to live unscathed?

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma is a wonderful love story. Even though it is a very detailed to the point where only juniors in high school and above should read it, it is still a good read. At first I believed it was going to end the way I wanted it to, so I was really disappointed when she wrote the ending a different way. I can t wait to read it again, though! I recommend this book to those who are hopeless romantics and students in grades eleven and above.

It goes into detail about Lochan and Maya's intimate gatherings. It also throughly describes Lochan's thoughts about Maya and what goes on during those gatherings.

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA