A new student review of Crown of Three

jotaf posted a new student review of Crown of Three . See the full review.

I thought Crown of Three was an enjoyable book filled with action, suspense, and adventure.  The author, J. D. Blackthorn, did a good job making the characters come alive.  He made the world in which the book takes place very interesting, also.  I really liked when each of the triplets discovered their powers.  My favorite character was Tarlan, because he is resourceful and can think his way out of a tough situation.  I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book.  This is a great book for anyone who loves fantasy mixed with adventure.  I would recommend this book to ages eleven and up.

A new student review of The Accidental Siren by Jake Vander Ark

swalia posted a new student review of The Accidental Siren by Jake Vander Ark. See the full review.

The Accidental Siren was not my type of book. The story line dragged on, the characters were unbelievable, and the plot line was unrealistic. The book was hard to finish and lacked many components that I enjoy in a good story, like a clear conflict and likeable characters. Although I did not like this book, I thought the setting was well-described, and I could picture what the woods and the house would look like. I also liked the little twist at the end concerning Whit. The author did a good job of depicting the racism of the time period, but some events concerning Livy were unrealistic, confusing, and hard to believe or picture. I felt that James and Whit seemed younger than twelve years old, and that the story would have been better if they were ten years old. I disliked Mara’s character the most because it was the most unrealistic, and she lacked a personality that could have set her apart from every other story about a seemingly perfect girl. Overall, I did not enjoy reading this book and found it extremely unrealistic and slow. I would not recommend this book to others because it was very hard to finish.

A new student review of Dinosaur Eggs and Blue Ribbons: Science Fairs Inside and Out by Barnas Monteith

nictaf posted a new student review of Dinosaur Eggs and Blue Ribbons: Science Fairs Inside and Out by Barnas Monteith. See the full review.

This was not the book I thought it would be.  I was hoping it would be suggestions for different science fair projects and tips for how to make boards and themes ‘pop‘ for judges.  Instead, it was a monologue about Barney’s experiences.  I did not find it interesting, especially when it was difficult to know which age he was during each description; it did not seem to go chronologically.  The farther into the book I got, the more confusing it was to try to figure out if he was in high school, college, or working as an adult.  It sounded more like a brag book than a science fair book.  If I were to give him any tips to make this better, I would suggest that it be written more chronologically, more kid-friendly (talking to a twelve-year-old, not a high-schooler), and make it more interesting, not just about his one project over and over.
 

A new student review of Wheels of Change by Darlene Beck Jacobson

Sweetfable posted a new student review of Wheels of Change by Darlene Beck Jacobson. See the full review.

I really enjoyed this book, from start to finish. I found myself swept up by the plethora of compelling characters, the interesting yet believable setting, and a story line I couldn’t resist. I especially loved how relatable the main character, Emily, is. She is passionate about fighting for justice, but doesn't alienate others in the process.

The historical morsels layered into the story make it all the more interesting. One of my favorite parts is the introduction of corn flakes to Emily’s life. It is interesting to see how this new food is a relief for Emily’s mother as this cereal has an advantage of not needing to be heated up to be enjoyable.

Both girls and boys will relate to this coming-of-age story set in the final days of Theodore Roosevelt's presidency. Along the way, children will learn many things about the way life used to be, and they will have a great time doing so.

A new student review of We Are All Made of Molecules

sakurafrost posted a new student review of We Are All Made of Molecules . See the full review.

I think this book handled controversial topics very well. The story is narrated by both Stewart and Ashley, so the reader gets to see their different perspectives on the events that take place. For example, Ashley is opposed to same-sex couples, Stewart is more open minded. For this reason, I did not find the book offensive or biased in any way. 

We Are All Made of Molecules adresses many topics that are very relevant in today's world, such as bullying, same-sex relationships, abusive boyfriends/girlfriends, divorce and popularity

A new student review of River Runs Deep

emmasnyder posted a new student review of River Runs Deep . See the full review.

This is an excellent book. I would recommend it for fourth through sixth graders. The characters' choices and the adventure in this book's plot kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. One of my favorite parts was when Nick and Elias were hiding behind a rock at Smiley Pit trying to fight off a band of pirates. Nick and Elias made all the Pirates throw their weapons into a huge pit. 

This is a great book for readers of any age who wants to learn more about history and who love adventure and suspense. The stories and situations are historically appropriate and interesting.  Thank you Jennifer Bradbury for writing an excellent book for young readers!

A new student review of Autumn of Elves by Joanne Vruno

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

Autumn of Elves

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 The Hired Girl

Hannah472 posted a new student review of The Hired Girl . See the full review.

This book is one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. It was interesting and enjoyable. The author used percise characterization to develop the characters. The pacing of the novel was not too slow nor too fast. I was constantly flipping the pages waiting for Joan's next adventure to begin. Joan went through many difficult situations and events that were very relatable even with the drastic time difference. It was interesting to see what some of her problems were compared to problems in our current time. 

Throughout the novel, I sympathized with Joan, and I laughed with Joan. Joan's dialogue often made me laugh to myself. I found I could easily relate to the events she went through. I could not put this book down until the very last page. I was left wanting to know more. Schlitz should definitely write a sequel to this book,

There were many life lessons in this book that are highlighted through the characters' mistakes and choices. This is novel that should be cherised and reread again and again; I know I will do so. Readers of this book will receive a taste of what life was like a hundred years ago, and will get to grow up with a young girl named Joan. Laura Amy Schlitz did a wonderful job with this book, and I highly recommend it. 

A new student review of Protostar by Braxton A. Cosby

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Protostar by Braxton A. Cosby. See the full review.

The author developed a very interesting concept for this story. It is unlike any book I have read before. One of the main characters, William, was quite likable from the beginning. I enjoyed reading about him; he was my favorite character. Unfortunately, Sydney was not as likable a character for me. She came across as whiny at times and seemed to lack depth. I wished that her character had more feeling and complexity so that I could have cared about her and become invested in what happened to her.

The entire book was very fast-paced in my opinion. It kept me interested throughout the read; I didn’t get bored once.

The only other complaint I have about this book is that at times the wording seemed child-like, as well as forced and unnatural.

Though there were a few things I believed needed some refining, overall the book was a good read that I enjoyed. It is great for sci-fi/romance lovers of all ages.