A new student review of River of Peril by Susan K. Marlow

moseso posted a new student review of River of Peril by Susan K. Marlow. See the full review.

River of Peril is attention grabbing and it’s hard to put the book down! The author does an excellent job of describing events. She makes if feel as if you were in the book, living the adventure for yourself. Jem and Ellie are the main characters. Jem is Ellie’s older brother. It is easy to imagine them as real characters because of the vivid pictures the author creates. This book would be most enjoyed by nine to twelve year olds. Even though it is a historical book, it does not yield much information about the time period it is set in. However, the plot is simple to understand and makes it a page turner. River of Peril is one book you should read! 

A new student review of The Lucky Ones: A Bright Young Things Novel by Anna Godbersen

123evae123 posted a new student review of The Lucky Ones: A Bright Young Things Novel by Anna Godbersen. See the full review.

This book was so good. With a great undercurrent of danger and suspense and romance this book was a perfect historical fiction novel in my opinion. Using two small town girls from Ohio as some of the main characters was such a glorious way to write this fairytale of a story. These girls traveled to New York, and gained fame and fortune, but not without hardships and downfalls. The author uses the glitz and glamour of New York in the 1920's to create a story full of intrigue and mystery. These girls are a romantisized version of a fantasy that has been written time and time again, with something that sets them apart from the rest of the books about the 20's. The way that you were drawn into their lives and their stories made me never want to put this book down, I wanted it to never end, and that's why I think it deserves a five star rating, because even though I was disappointed it ended, I could not have been happier with the way it ended, or the way it began, or everything in between.

A new student review of Break Out

AnimeLover posted a new student review of Break Out . See the full review.

 This book is for people who are new to romance novels. If you want a book with more romance than action this book is for you.

A new student review of The Beast of Seabourne by Rhys A. Jones

nictaf posted a new student review of The Beast of Seabourne by Rhys A. Jones. See the full review.

The Beast of Seabourne was an amazing read, just as exciting as the first book.  One of the reasons this was such an amazing read was because the author’s descriptions were so clear.  For example, the author, Rhys A. Jones, wrote “Oz felt his scalp contract at remembering when he’d last been in this room...”  The characters felt both well written and believable, and the characters were realistic.  I would recommend reading book one first, but unlike some stories, if you haven’t read book one, you would have a smaller chance of being lost.  This book is for all ages, so enjoy the story.

A new student review of The Obsidian Pebble by Rhys A. Jones

nictaf posted a new student review of The Obsidian Pebble by Rhys A. Jones. See the full review.

Rhys A. Jones did a wonderful job on The Obsidian Pebble.  The book was well written and very believable.  The characters were realistic.  For example, Oz hates math, but would rather do double math for a year than move from his house. The author is British, so a small word list was included for translations, for words like 'hoovering', and 'chemist shop'.  This story uses an 11 year old perspective, which made me feel like I was a part of the story.   This book was so good that I am highly anticipating book two.  It was an unforgettable experience.  I would recommend this book for kids who love mysteries and humor.  
 

A new student review of Life, Love, and Surviving High School by Ann Herrick

Alyssakb99 posted a new student review of Life, Love, and Surviving High School by Ann Herrick. See the full review.

I think this book is good. It has grammatical errors, and I was confused on some parts through the story. I feel that the author needed to plan it out a little better so the reader is not so confused. But overall, it's a good book that can be relatable to high school girls.

A new student review of Cheesie Mack Is Sort Of Freaked Out by Steve Cotler

LegoLover posted a new student review of Cheesie Mack Is Sort Of Freaked Out by Steve Cotler. See the full review.

In Cheesie Mack is Sort of Freaked Out, Cheesie is getting ready for Halloween, and a massive Halloween prank called Plan It, you can find out what it’s going to be about.  With a friend of Cheesie’s brags about the candy he thinks he’ll collect.  His bragging soon leads to an all-out Candy Collecting Contest, with several tricks and tons of treats.  One of them is that a giant reptile, possibly the missing Galapagos Turtle of the science teacher, is roaming the streets.  This book is easily one of Cheesie’s best and is filled with his silly twists on reality!

A new student review of Eyes Wide Open: Going Behind Environmental Headlines

VBat posted a new student review of Eyes Wide Open: Going Behind Environmental Headlines . See the full review.

I wanted to like this book— environmental problems are relevant to many modern social discussions, and I think Fleischman’s insights into our social systems are spot on. Unfortunately, the good information and ideas provided by Eyes Wide Open are hard to follow and understand, due to the unconventional organization of the book. Rather than grouping the information into the type of environmental problem, say, “fracking” and “GMO’s,” Fleischman addresses multiple issues in each chapter, some in three sentence paragraphs. These blurbs do not provide enough explanation of the topic or statistical evidence to be valuable to the reader. He does not elaborate on each topic enough to connect the situation to his main point, which leaves the reader to either figure out the connection themselves, or simply give up reading. 

 

If you can get through the confusing organization, the book does make some good points. The most helpful section of the book is tucked away in the back, almost in the glossary— a section on “How to Weigh Information.” This chapter looks at different sources of information, like documentaries and newspapers, and gives pointers on how to find quality information amongst all of the bad information. This section is more detailed than the rest of the book, and is very applicable to real-world situations.

 

Overall, Eyes Wide Open made for a very unsatisfying reading experience. There are limited facts and explanations for any of the problems or solutions that Fleischman covers in his book, and he fails to present the information in a clear, motivating way. There are a lot of great environmental examples that are briefly brought up within the text, but, without context and a clear direction, it is difficult for the reader to see the overall message of Eyes Wide Open.

 

I would not recommend this book to most readers. Instead, I would suggest reading something like the Sustainable World Sourcebook, compiled by Sustainable World Coalition. Like Eyes Wide Open, this text urges readers to “examine unquestioned assumptions,” but also provides context, statistics, and specific calls to action for the reader. Written with a similar reader-focused style and including fascinating color photographs, the sourcebook is a great alternative to Eyes Wide Open.

A new student review of The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell

joythean posted a new student review of The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell. See the full review.

I really liked how the romance was subtle but at the same time, an important deciding factor in the story. The relationship that Damien and his ex-girlfriend Kat has is awkward in the beginning but the smooth writing develops it into something really sweet. The characters' personalities are interesting and funny to read, especially Damien's. I love him because he is sarcastic, a smooth talker, and full of humor. All of these qualities are expertly described in Chelsea M. Campbell's writing, which really adds to the reading experience. It's also really amazing how unpredictable the characters and plot line are; I wasn't bored a single time throughout the novel. My only complaint would be that it was a little too cheesy in some areas the story.

A new student review of The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett Jory John

sisto8 posted a new student review of The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett Jory John. See the full review.

I think that this book was pretty good.  I liked the characters and the setting because they were realistic as well as an important part of the book.  Some books I’ve read seemed to me that the authors randomly chose where the story takes place.  The illustrations went well with the parts of the story being told.   The book was funny because it had lots of unexpected twists and turns.  I recommend this book for kids who are 8-13.