A new student review of Chopstix by A.T. Raydan

JesusFreak posted a new student review of Chopstix by A.T. Raydan. See the full review.

When I opened this book, one of the first things I noticed was how short it was. However, as I began reading, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it grabbed my attention. The main character, Wendy, was extremely likable throughout the book. I felt that she made good, well-thought-out decisions. It was difficult to connect with some of the other characters. 

At times, the action seemed to lag and the dialogue seemed a bit childish for the characters’ ages.

Overall, this book had a great plot and good character development. I would recommend it to anyone ages 12 and above who enjoys action.

A new student review of Knowing Nora by Claire Merchant

Star360 posted a new student review of Knowing Nora by Claire Merchant. See the full review.

An affair between a teacher and a student is one of the most taboo relationships in society. Nevertheless, a news story about such a twisted romance comes up every year. In Knowing Nora, Nora Hadley gives a voice to the young girls who have fallen for the wrong man entirely.

 

The bitter irony of Knowing Nora is that Nora was both the most and least likely to have an affair with Mr. Summers. No one thought that shy, pious Nora would ever have a boyfriend. Even Nora herself thought that she would have to wait until university to find a special someone. On the other hand, readers can observe that Nora is above petty high school drama. Unlike Ainslee, she doesn’t want to get involved with any immature teen. Part of her attraction to William Summers was his maturity and kindness. Those were qualities that she couldn’t get in a boy like Aaron, whose offer she turned down.

 

William was a conundrum. He was an excellent literature teacher, and he made sure that there was no bullying in his classroom. Nevertheless, he shouldn’t have started seeing Nora outside of school. Their encounters began at her little brother’s football games, which he could have easily avoided. William may have only been five years older than Nora, but that makes a big difference when she’s sixteen and he’s twenty-one. Nora went along with the affair out of blind love, but William should have been the voice of reason.

 

The most questionable aspect of the book was the exact nature of Nora and William’s romance. If she had been his age, they might have made a great couple. Since that wasn’t the case, it made the affair all the more disturbing. It’s simple math: Teacher + Student + Romance  = Big Trouble. Girls and boys who get involved in such relationships shouldn’t be given a scarlet letter, but should their actions be applauded as an act of true love? Readers are sure to offer a plethora of diverse answers.

 

A creative part of the book was how each chapter was titled the name of a song. Songs like “Chasing Pavements” and “Losing My Religion” accurately set the tone of each stage in Nora’s life.

 

I would warn readers to skip the prologue. Cover it with sticky notes, squeeze your eyes shut as you turn the page – just don’t read it! Some prologues offer a tantalizing glimpse into the characters’ futures; this one just drops a major spoiler that takes the edge off the novel’s building suspense.

 

Knowing Nora offers a unique perspective on the dangerous relationships that can occur between a student and a teacher.

A new student review of Iron and Blood by Larry Martin Gail Z Martin

Lainebarnes posted a new student review of Iron and Blood by Larry Martin Gail Z Martin. See the full review.

My opinion of this book was that it was well thought out and each chapter made a new impact. The book was very interesting, but it was also scary and gruesome. The murder scenes that were described were vivid giving me a feeling of fear or doom. There were homemade "werkman", also known as zombies, who are dead people following orders from Thwaits to kill anyone trying to solve the murders. They had human features but were actually made of cogs and gears that when they were attacked, would spew out blood and dead flesh. Yuck! Other than the gory stuff, I enjoyed the book very much and I would read it again. It was very adventurous, but also made me feel scared at times. I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 14 due to its graphic language and images. The scenes are very bloody and could be disturbing to some readers. They do add to the tale but I would caution readers of this book for fear that it may scare them. But overall it was well thought out and maintained a good flow.

A new student review of Off the Page by Samantha van Leer Jodi Picoult

pavannah posted a new student review of Off the Page by Samantha van Leer Jodi Picoult. See the full review.

My basic thoughts on this was it was a great book that would serve as a great companion to the original.  However, I was not aware that it had been a companion book, until receiving the actual book, therefore I hadn’t read the first book before completing this book.Even with that, I was able to thoroughly enjoy reading this book, because being a fantasy fanatic, and well, a lover of books, I found a piece of myself within this book; which made me enjoy it all the more.  There was great character development with Oliver, but was lacking in others, which is a little disappointing, but not the end of the world.  I think the message that love requires sacrifice is a noble one, that shines throughout the book, it is lacking strong backing in this book.  Yes it was clear that it was the message being sent, however it showed that it was more of other characters making sacrifices for Oliver and Delilah, as opposed to they themselves making the sacrifices. So overall, for a sappy romantic fantasy novel is was good, however I will not be reading it again.  

A new student review of Field Trip by Jim Paulsen Gary Paulsen

Boomer123 posted a new student review of Field Trip by Jim Paulsen Gary Paulsen. See the full review.

Gary and Jim Paulsen have yet again delivered another great father and son book. I love this book so much and I think it's a great follow-up to Road Trip! I also like how it is written from Ben’s perspective. Conor and Atticus were always cracking me up because Atticus is so down to Earth and Conor, well, isn't. I also liked how the twins, Charlotte and Jacob are super smart and peppy and are always making me laugh with their smartness. I like this book because I think it shows a great father and son relationship. 

A new student review of Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Boomer123 posted a new student review of Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson. See the full review.

I liked reading about roller derby.  I didn't know what roller derby was and now I am thinking I might even want to try it myself.  I could understand Astrid when she and Nicole had problems.  She is upset that Nicole chose Rachel over her.  If you liked "Smile and Sisters" you will like this book as well. It is a graphic novel about a character going through hard times.  Readers should know that there is a bit of bullying. Nicole teases Astrid about her name.  There are a lot of middle school friendship problems.

A new student review of Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag

KMeng posted a new student review of Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag. See the full review.

As a fan of books like Gossip Girl and the like, this plot of this book interested me right away. The plot of Beautiful Americans isnt a new one, but the way the story was written was attention grabbing and the Parisian background added a whole new level to the novel. The drama behind the 4 teens is interesting to read and the further I got into the story, the more I wanted to know about them. Beautiful Americans is a great summer read. The great news about this Beautiful Americans is that this is book number 1 in a series and there are 2 other books out. So for a taste of teen drama and adventure, give the Beautiful American series a try!

A new student review of The Anatomy of Curiosity by Brenna Yovanoff Tessa Gratton Maggie Stiefvater

Star360 posted a new student review of The Anatomy of Curiosity by Brenna Yovanoff Tessa Gratton Maggie Stiefvater. See the full review.

Many readers have wondered how their favorite YA authors go about writing a novel. With The Anatomy of Curiosity, their questions can be answered in a clever, unforgettable way.

 

The beauty of this book was how fun it was to read it! I’ve read articles about how to write a book and seen videos of authors talking about their journey to publication. Those are good resources, but this book took it a step up and showed readers how it’s done. Fantasy authors Steifvater, Gratton, and Yovanoff each wrote a novella and explained to readers how they decided on the climax, the setting, a certain phrase, and all the other fidgety little details that make up a fine story.

 

Reading those notes is like watching a movie with the director’s comments on – you’re enjoying the plot, but you also get valuable insight into the making of the work. People can choose to ignore the notes completely and simply enjoy the story, which is a good idea for those who don’t want even the slightest hint of a spoiler. But I highly recommend that readers at least skim the notes, because there’s a lot to learn from the three talented women.

 

The novellas themselves were each unique and memorable. Steifvater’s was about a shy girl who reads poems for an elegant yet strange old lady; Gratton’s was about a boy at war whose love hides a great secret; Yovanoff’s was about the haunting qualities of drowning. My personal favorite was Steifvater’s ‘Ladylike,’ but all three will have an appeal for a diverse audience.

 

The Anatomy of Curiosity should be on the to-read list of anyone who wants a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a novel.

A new student review of Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation: The Story of the Transcontinental Railroad by Martin W. Sandler

moseso posted a new student review of Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation: The Story of the Transcontinental Railroad by Martin W. Sandler. See the full review.

This book is full of lots of important and valuable information on the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. It is slightly confusing in the beginning, but eventually, all is explained and the reader can read without any more confusion. For anyone who is looking to write a report or just to learn about this awesome railroad, this is a great resource book. Some of the information could have been arranged in a different way so that it would be more easily understood. Kids 12 and up would best understand this book. Overall, this book is a great read for anyone interested in the Transcontinental Railroad!  

A new student review of Flying Mutant Zombie Rats by Kat de Falla

jotaf posted a new student review of Flying Mutant Zombie Rats by Kat de Falla. See the full review.

I thought Flying Mutant Zombie Rats was an enjoyable and humorous book, one with a funny plot line. 

It was hilarious that the portal to another dimension opened while Pea was doing a back-flip on his BMX bike. Another part in the book I enjoyed was when a cat named Maximillian started talking; it was funny when Pea was surprised by it. 

This book was a new kind of book for me. I have never read a book quite like this one; adventure, friendship, and tongue-in-cheek humor made it interesting. I felt that the storyline slowed in some parts, although it wasn't that often. At times weird, at times gripping, this book would appeal to many boys. I would have given this book five stars, but I didn't appreciate some of the gross humor. I would recommend this book to students ages nine through fourteen, or to anyone that enjoys books where kids overcome impossible odds.