A new student review of The Time Hunters (Book 1) by Carl Ashmore

Anjel posted a new student review of The Time Hunters (Book 1) by Carl Ashmore. See the full review.

This book is now my all-time favorite! Blending fantasy, sci-fi and folklore, Carl Ashmore created the perfect setting for all ages. One of my favorite parts was when Becky unknowingly became the Fleece's new guardian. However, my absolute favorite part was when the minotaur turned out to be the friendliest guy. I think the only part I didn’t care for was when I thought Milly was dead and Sabian was an orphan. I would recommend this book to middle schoolers, fantasy and sci-fi lovers and readers who enjoyed Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.

A new student review of My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!)

nictaf posted a new student review of My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!) . See the full review.

My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!) wasn't that good in my opinion. Now on a good note the characters were believable (except Stan) which made this book decent. It finally started to get good maybe 20 pages away from the end. I just didn't like this book because it was too exaggerated (for example, a character said, "I broke my head" when it was really a small cut.) I would recommend this book to ages 7 and up. If you are a fan of Geronimo Stilton, then you will love this book.

A new student review of Spinner by Michael Bowler

Lucy posted a new student review of Spinner by Michael Bowler. See the full review.

I really liked this book; I found it interesting and engaging. I didn't want to put it down, as I was completely absorbed in what would happen next. For this reason, I finished this book quickly. I liked the mystery surrounding Alex's powers. I found his powers very exciting. I felt bad that he didn’t have any friends and was bullied all the time. In addition, the fact that his wheelchair had limited many things in his life didn't seem fair. I would highly recommend this book to my friends. I found it to be an amazing read. The only thing that I had disliked was the inclusion of some offensive language. Overall, I loved this book.

A new student review of CHRISSIE'S RUN by S.A. Mahan

Star360 posted a new student review of CHRISSIE'S RUN by S.A. Mahan. See the full review.

Anyone who watches the news can tell you that public opinion is sharply split on the topic of abortion. Chrissie’s Run joins the conversation by asking, What if abortions were mandatory? Young Chrissie was one-hundred-percent positive that she wanted to keep her baby boy. I admired how she was so willing to leave behind her easy life as a politician’s daughter for a cause that she believed in. Her boyfriend, on the other hand, was a little infuriating. Jason had virtually a cameo, and his few scenes made him less than likable. He didn’t care about the baby and had zero chemistry with Chrissie, so their relationship was not believable to me. A twist at the end may redeem him in some eyes.

 

Chrissie’s journey as a rebel “runner” was filled with allusions to the Bible and Greek mythology, which were fun to catch. It was also packed with vivid action. At one point, Chrissie says mournfully, “So much death,” and I heartily agree. I was surprised at the rate Chrissie’s guides were killed off. For a Christian book, it was rather gruesome. Of course, the violence had an end result, but verbal sparring can also be exciting to read.

 

In regards to Chrissie’s pregnancy and motherhood, I felt that it was underrepresented even though it was a central theme of the novel. When she has the baby, she doesn’t undergo any great change. Little Daniel appears, but as a secondary character. Chrissie is a sweet, strong girl, but I felt she doesn’t act like a mom. In my opinion, the writing made the relationship feel detached, like he was her brother, not her first child! The sudden time jumps made it difficult for the reader to capture emotional growth, yet they kept the story fast-paced.

 

Genre-hopping keeps readers on their toes! I was expecting a Christian book with a dystopian background and it ended up being that as well as sci-fi, survival fiction, and romance. Sci-fi can be a hard genre to blend in, so I applaud the creativity. Chrissie finds love in a hopeless, unexpected place, which adds a touch of sweetness to the novel.

 

Chrissie’s Run is a teen novel that offers more than the boy-meets-girl mix. Fans of thought-provoking novels and strong female characters would like spending a few hours running for a better world with Chrissie.

A new student review of The Beast of Cretacea

jotaf posted a new student review of The Beast of Cretacea . See the full review.

I thought that The Beast of Cretacea was a great book.  I liked the way the author, Todd Strasser, described the characters and the different worlds.  Also, I thought that most of the characters were believable, in the sense that they could easily be alive and real.  A part in the book that I thought was funny was when, on the first day, Charity told the kids not to eat too much because their stomachs hadn’t adjusted and they would puke it up if they did.  Well, one of the kids didn’t listen and spent the whole night in the bathroom throwing up.  One of the things that I liked and didn’t like about this book was that a lot of the characters used lots of sailor and pirate talk.  This made a lot of their sentences hard to understand, but it added a lot more authenticity.  Another thing that I didn't like about this book was that it felt like the ending was a bit rushed.  The way it was starting to go I was wondering if there would be a book two, but it finished in ten pages.  If the author had given it fifteen pages more or so, it would have made for a better ending and could have answered the rest of my questions.  I would recommend this book to ages eleven and up, or to anyone who is a fan of Moby Dick.

A new student review of Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Gwendolyn posted a new student review of Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. See the full review.

I remember first reading Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis when I was nine years old. I read it around the time that I discovered my passion for jazz music, a passion that I have carried throughout my life to this day. What originally intrigued me about this story all those years ago were three things. The first being my fascination with the Great Depression, the second being my enthusiasm for jazz music, and the third being my interest in racial inequality and general discrimination.  This book has all of those things. Although I recall enjoying this novel, I did not pick it up again until now, oddly enough for the same reasons that made me originally decide to read it. 

 

My experience reading this novel at sixteen years old in comparison to my experience when I was nine is quite a different one. Although I remembered a few elements of this book before reading it a second time, I mostly only remembered the fact that I liked it. It is clear that Bud, Not Buddy was written with children as its target audience, but this does not mean that it can not still be an entertaining read for all ages. There are serious subjects brought up in this book, while providing a light and childish narration throughout the novel that those not as interested in history can enjoy. I was thoroughly reminded of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, when reading this novel. 

 

Seeing as Bud, Not Buddy is narrated by a child, it has a dialogue that is extremely laid-back and not always grammatically correct. I understand that this was an intentional effect made by the author and is part of the character's personality, but it drew me out of the writing on a few occasions. I think that the writing style in this book would be better listened to on audio-book as opposed to being read, but this is just my personal preference. I don't think that the writing style is a flaw of the book, it just took me a little longer to get used to the story. This style feels a little forced in some areas, while perfectly representative of the characters and their time period in others. 

 

Christopher Paul Curtis mentions several historical and cultural references throughout his book, varying from fairly in-depth descriptions to throwing them into sentences without fully explaining their meaning and significance in history. This opens up a perfect educational opportunity for either parents or teachers to discuss these topics more with their children or students reading this book. 

 

Overall, I feel that Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis would be a more enjoyable read for younger children, but it's a well written historical read nonetheless. This novel is one that adults and older teens can enjoy, but maybe for different reasons than the children reading it might. 

A new student review of Rockin' the Boat: 50 Iconic Revolutionaries by Jeff Fleischer

Star360 posted a new student review of Rockin' the Boat: 50 Iconic Revolutionaries by Jeff Fleischer. See the full review.

As a history buff, I loved Rockin’ the Boat! The book is divided into fifty three to five page chapters, one for every revolutionary. I was unsure of how much information I would really get out of such few pages, but I was impressed by how wide the scope was. Fleischer was able to get from cradle to grave (or present, in Castro’s case) and convince the reader that the person was truly revolutionary. Little side notes provide fun facts, and pictures or paintings show the reader what the famous figures looked like. It would have been nice for the pictures to be in color and not black and white, but that’s just a personal preference. 

 

The people highlighted in this easy-to-read book come from all over the world – the United States and Great Britain to Russia and Turkey. It gives readers a good, rounded perspective about revolutions. I was also pleased to see that women also made the cut! Harriet Tubman, Boudica, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (one of may favorite icons) all make an appearance. 

The author makes sure to banish any stereotypes or misconceptions about the people, and does his best to set the record straight. For example, William Wallace of Braveheart fame definitely didn’t wear a kilt, but he was actually beheaded and quartered.

 

After reading Rockin’ the Boat, scholars young and old will want to check out a few more books about the intriguing characters. I know that I want to find out more about New Zealand feminist Kate Sheppard and Catholic zealot Guy Fawkes. I’d recommend this book to people who enjoy learning about amazingly insane, kind, or brave men and women who did not fear change.

A new student review of X: A Novel

vbobrocks posted a new student review of X: A Novel . See the full review.

X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, with Kekla Magoon was fascinating, inspiring, and, at the same time, heartwrenching.  The story chronicles Malcolm’s early life and teen years simultaneously and gives the reader insight to the many events that made him who he was.  The transformation from small-town boy to city slicker is one that is sure to keep readers cringing at Malcolm’s questionable decisions, but by the end of the novel, it’s clear that without his experiences, Malcolm wouldn’t have become who he did.  As for the writing, X was a smooth and gripping read, one that will be a hit with readers in junior high, or older for that matter, who are interested in Malcolm X, biographies, the ‘30s and ‘40s, or just want a quality read.

 

A new student review of Summer of Elves by Joanne Vruno

S.Ehlers posted a new student review of Summer of Elves by Joanne Vruno. See the full review.

The Summer of Elves was an amazing book! I was fascinated and intrigued by all of the characters because they were each unique in their own way and not a single character was like the other. I also enjoyed that it was a quick read because it allowed me to focus on how much I was enjoying the book more than focusing on how many pages I had left. In conclusion, Joanne Vruno did an outstanding job writing The Summer of Elves and definitely has a new fan.

 

A new student review of One or Two Things I Learned About Love by Dyan Sheldon

Peace8747 posted a new student review of One or Two Things I Learned About Love by Dyan Sheldon. See the full review.

I thought the book was OK. It was written in diary form so it was kind of hard to understand at times. I also got the feeling that the author ran out of ideas because the relationship dragged on and on. I felt that Hildy should have dumped Connor way back at the beginning. Maybe if there was more of a twist in the plot or something like that, it would make the book way more interesting. I feel that if Hildy worked up her self confidence than she could have dumped Connor. A boyfriend should not make you lose your friends and grow apart from your family.