Tofu and T. Rex by Greg Leitich Smith

A present-day Texas school district has a troublemaker on its hands. Fredrika Murchison-Kowalski, or Freddie for short, is a vegan and believes strongly in liberating animals, but she goes too far when she nearly burns down the school’s football stadium trying to liberate the bull mascot. She is quickly shipped back to her native Chicago where she must live with her grandfather and her cousin Hans-Peter. They live in a traditional Eastern European neighborhood with lots of sausage, pets, and fur. On top of that her grandfather, or Opa, owns a deli/butcher shop where Freddie is forced to work. She is re-admitted into the prestigious Peshtigo School of Chicago. Her cousin desperately wants to get into the school because of its wonderful paleontology program. The vegan and the carnivore must learn to live in harmony to achieve both their goals.

The book was good and it presented two good arguments. I couldn’t decide which I agreed with since I am a vegetarian but I am not a vegan. I also saw the culture involved with the meats eaten by the Polish. The book was written in a light, moving style and it did not dwell on any one thing for too long. I enjoyed the two points of view of both characters and some of the hilarity of Freddie’s activism. It was a bit simple and not really too developed but it contained some really funny parts and some very true arguments. If you enjoy both giggles and gasping, you’ll like this book. From being chased by bees to the emancipation of frogs to an accidental severing, this book certainly earns a ‘funny mark’.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Greencastle, PA USA

The World of Eldaterra, The Dragon Conspiracy by P. R. Moredun

The time is 1895. Chief Professor Corrik is working on a case that involves the murders of pregnant women. Can he handle the truth, and is he brave enough to stop the culprit? The time is 1910. Eldaterra is in trouble. Portals between the Old World and the New World only open on rare occasions, and even then, few people can see them. While James is walking on the beach, he sees a strange arch; one that he is sure wasn’t there before. When he steps through, he is taken to another world- the Old World, Eldaterra. As James soon finds out, he is the only one capable of saving Eldaterra- if he chooses to help, he could save a world, which would involve extreme danger. If he chooses to return home, the enemy will almost certainly kill him just because they know that he can see the portal. With the help of a brave dog that can talk, a large bear that can also talk, and two dwarf brothers whose goal in life is to either die in their attempt to help James and become legends, or live in the attempt to help James and become heroes. Can James stop the evil that began 15 years ago and prevent the destruction of Eldaterra, before time runs out?

The World of Eldaterra, The Dragon Conspiracy is amazing. While the reader is trying to figure out one mystery that occurred in 1895, another adventure is unfolding in 1910. Are there links between the two? Page after page, The Dragon Conspiracy reveals new facts and new problems, new lies and new dangers. P. R. Moredun has created a fantasy world that is enveloped in mystery.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA

The World of Eldaterra, The Dragon Conspiracy by P. R. Moredun

The time is 1895. Chief Professor Corrik is working on a case that involves the murders of pregnant women. Can he handle the truth, and is he brave enough to stop the culprit? The time is 1910. Eldaterra is in trouble. Portals between the Old World and the New World only open on rare occasions, and even then, few people can see them. While James is walking on the beach, he sees a strange arch; one that he is sure wasn’t there before. When he steps through, he is taken to another world- the Old World, Eldaterra. As James soon finds out, he is the only one capable of saving Eldaterra- if he chooses to help, he could save a world, which would involve extreme danger. If he chooses to return home, the enemy will almost certainly kill him just because they know that he can see the portal. With the help of a brave dog that can talk, a large bear that can also talk, and two dwarf brothers whose goal in life is to either die in their attempt to help James and become legends, or live in the attempt to help James and become heroes. Can James stop the evil that began 15 years ago and prevent the destruction of Eldaterra, before time runs out?

The World of Eldaterra, The Dragon Conspiracy is amazing. While the reader is trying to figure out one mystery that occurred in 1895, another adventure is unfolding in 1910. Are there links between the two? Page after page, The Dragon Conspiracy reveals new facts and new problems, new lies, and new dangers. P. R. Moredun has created a fantasy world that is enveloped in mystery.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA

Exile by Grace Garendish

Banoo Yasmine was exiled from her homeland and is now needing a loan from Grace's queen, so she can try to rebuild her wealth. In return for the loan Banoo gave the queen the most precious treasure of all, The Heart of Kings. When people find out that that jewel is the fake one, people go every trying find it. The next day it is found in Grace's good friends laundry bins, Ellie the laundry maid. Now Ellie must go and find the true thief.

This was a great book. The author had a great style of writing that moved fast. The book kept me reading and was a great mystery. Every time I thought I knew who did it, it turned out I was wrong. The book had every part of a good story in it.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lutherville, Maryland USA

Mocassin Thunder

Joy Harjo, Sherman Alexie, Cynthia Leitich, Richard Van Camp, Linda Hogan, Joseph Bruchac, Louise Erdich, Greg Sarris, Lee Francis, and Susan Powers invite readers to understand today’s Indian through these intriguing stories. Middle and high school students will recognize the experiences of growing up, facing peer pressure, and coming to terms with individual identity. In “How to Get to the Planet Venus” Joy Harjo’s heroine travels from the safe arms of the man in the moon as a child to reaching Planet Venus as an almost responsible young woman. Alexie Sherman shows how a family’s stories can change to fit history. “A Real-Live Blond Cherokee and His Equally Annoyed Soul Mate” wins a prize for a title that tells almost all of the story while encouraging readers to examine stereotypes of appearance. Kevin Garner in “The Last Snow of the Virgin Mary” walks a thin line between his ambition to become a teacher and his drug addiction until one side wins. The grandma in “Crow” exhibits far more generosity of spirit than the well-dressed, limo-riding woman who tries to coerce the sell of the house and everything else. Maybe money isn’t the answer to life’s troubles. For the heroine of Susan Power’s “Drum Kiss” the leap from wishing for C.S. Lewis’s kingdom of Narnia in the back of a wardrobe to an understanding of her tribe’s animal stories brings real friends and reemergence of self-acceptance. Together these stories give life to memorable characters.

Moccasin Thunder is a welcomed addition to short story collections and offers an introduction to respected writers whose other works will be equally inviting. I hardily recommend this book for middle and high school students who want to read of other adolescents’ travels toward adulthood.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 58
Reviewer City, State and Country: Timonium, MD US

Confessions of a Boyfriend Stealer

Confessions Of A Boyfreind Stealer is the online diary of Genesis Bell, sixteen and half year-old ex-best friend to CJ Thompson and Tasha Dombrowski and aspiring television producer. Normally known as one of The Terribles, when caught 'stealing' her best friend's boyfriends, things change. No longer a Terrible, Genesis sets about setting the record straight, in the form of an online blog. Genesis, the more reserved, less fiery and in-your-face friend of the three, was always the one how kept things in control; she kept secrets, mended broken hearts (the hearts of the boys her friends so heartlessly dumped, not her friends who didn't need or want any sympathy) and was the nice one. In this book she learns more about herself and comes several steps closer to her dream of producing documentries and reality shows; when she films the party of the year.

This book, although aimed for an older audience; the scenes being a little unsuitable for anyone under 13, is likely to entertain the younger more. The plot is very ambitous and hard to believe at times, while the writing can be patching is some places and the characters pretty shallow; never the less this book was enjoyable and easy to read into spare moment. While the book screams of a sequal (the blog of Genesis's ex best friend CJ, which is mentioned on the first page), I believe that when the time comes I will read it. If you feel like an easy read, something that isn't serious and won't have you pondering about the meaning of life, then this is the book for you - sweet, spunky, you can not help cheering Genesis on, nor cringing at her stupidity at times.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bristol, England

The Fire Thief by Terry Deary

This book begins with Prometheus (yes the Greek Titan) escaping his bonds of captivity. Then he flies two million years into the future (around 1858) trying to escape the fury of the gods. In this future he meets a boy and his uncle. Jim, the boy, is an orphan that Edward, the uncle, adopted. They are actors (and thieves) whom befriend Prometheus. Will Prometheus be able to escape the wrath of the gods? Will Jim and Edward be able to help him? Find out by reading Fire Thief.

I found this book highly entertaining. It had many, many funny parts in it. The footnotes at the bottom of the pages made it even more hilarious*. I also enjoyed how the two stories (Ancient Greece and Eden City 1858) were combined together. It was a fairly easy-to-read book and isn’t very big, so I think you should take a few hours and read Fire Thief. Anyone who needs a good laugh should read this book.

*Things like this would be at the bottom of the pages, except that they would have something funny written on them.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Denair, California United States

I am Alive and You are Dead A Journey into the Mind of Philip K. Dick

This book was a fascinating read about an author named Philip K. Dick who was a very uncommon breed. Carrere takes the reader through the journey of this man’s life from the infant death of his twin sister, to the multiple marriages he experienced, to his upsetting lonely death. Throughout all of this, the reader learns of how involved the human brain can truly be, especially in the case of Philip K. Dick.

Although I had never read any of Philip K. Dick’s work before, Emanuel Carrere’s depiction of his life was quite interesting. However, in Carrere’s book, there was some confusion between the descriptions of Dick‘s actual life, and the parts which were only the autobiographical aspects that he had written about in his own novels. The “journey into the mind of Philip K. Dick” was a fascinating journey to take, and without giving too much away, I do not think that any regular person really knows someone of Philip’s character. Perhaps there are some aspects of his enigmatic mind that each one of us holds, but the intricacy that was described in Carrere’s creative way held a hazy difference between the reality and the imaginary. Perhaps these two things can be easily confused, as they seem to have been by Dick, in my opinion. Either way, Carrere wrote an impressive memoir that showed all of the details of Philip K. Dick’s life, when really picked through, and I can assume that the other authors who have written about him could not have done nearly as good of a job.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Towson, Maryland USA

The Seropia Crystal by T. W. Olzinski

When a twelve-year old girl named Riley Benson moves with her family to her grandma’s house for the summer, she soon realizes that it will be the summer of her life. Soon after arrival she finds a chest and a key. Inside she finds a couple of things but the one she likes the most is the seropia crystal necklace. She ventures around her house taking pictures. She goes into the woods and trips on a tree while taking the pictures and to her surprise the butterfly, squirrel, rabbit, fox, and deer she saw in her dreams speak to her and ask her to help them out. They tell her all about how they got there and about why they are there. The animals also tell her that they sent their king to earth to save him and that they need to find him before the evil Tirantus Pirate gets to him or he will be taken prisoner and all the other planets will turn evil. Her necklace glows brighter whenever the king gets closer and she finds out that the king could’ve taken the form of anything. She decides to help the animals and starts her search before she has to go back to her own house at the end of the summer.

This book is awesome! It is very interesting and makes you want to know what happens next. I thought the characters were interesting but kind of like everyday people. I recommend this book to anyone in 3rd-7th grade. I enjoyed reading this book and I hope anyone who reads this will also enjoy it.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upperstrasburg, PA US

SuperSized Kids by Larimore and Flynt

Obesity in America is of epidemic proportions. This fact is easily affirmed with a quick look on a crowded street. Research shows not only are more people overweight or obese, the overweight keep piling on the pounds. Sadly, this phenomenon is not just an adult problem. In the book SuperSized Kids How To Rescue Your Child From The Obesity Threat, Walt Larimore, M.D., and Sherri Flynt explore the medical consequences of obesity in today's youth and offer their medical experiences, both personal and clinical, as they attempt to tackle this worldwide crisis. Obesity does not discriminate. In fact, as this book so adeptly explains, obesity affects all persons, individually and as a society. The negative health impact is globally catastrophic in addition to financially devastating. Larimore and Flynt, with the use of reality-based case in points, attempt to explain the ravages this disease presents while offering thier medical expertise to assure us this trend can be reversed. With simple medical terminology and easy to follow lifestyle changes, these dedicated professionals make eradicating childhood obesity seem like a real possibility. While exposing probable causes of obesity, the authors are quick to point out modern luxuries and conveniences as the likeliest culprits. Except, instead of assigning blame to society and culture alone, they lay the responsibility and recovery at the feet of the individual. If the purpose of this book is to explain what obesity is, what it does, and how to prevent it, that goal was certainly attained. Larimore and Flynt give the reader every reason to be concerned and become proactive with the weight, current and future health of our next generation.

SuperSized Kids How To Rescue Your Child From The Obesity Threat is one of many books tackling the issue of childhood obesity available today. Written to appeal to parents and caregivers, it sometimes uses over the top scare tactics to get the reader's attention. Although easy to read, the layout is a bit distracting with the pages having sidebars of Recipe For Success, Fifty Ways to SuperSize Your Kids, and/or Food For Thought. Using real life stories to emphasize the subject matter is usually a positive tool used by authors. This book employs too many. Parents who have children struggling with weight want answers and solutions, not necessarily a support group of unknowns. They already know they belong to an ever growing population and if they are reading this book, they are making strides to escape from it. From a clinical viewpoint, this books supplies plenty of facts and figures. What it doesn't do, is make them interesting. With so many other books available with the same subject matter, I suggest looking for another.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 5
Reviewer Age: 36
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA

Nothing Can Keep Us Together by Cecily von Ziegesar

As usual Cecily von Ziegesar's book if nothing if not exciting, she doesn't stop at the usual; filling her books with scandalous gossip and things us 'normal' people would not do on a whim. Yet, as per usual, the heart of the book truly lies with that of a teenager and the vast amount of money the character's have will never change it - they still have the ups and downs of everybody. With Blair mad at Nate and Serena and focusing instead on Marcus, Lord Marcus that is; an older, British and seemingly better version of Nate and, of course, without the stoner aspect. And while Serena is thrilled at her role in Breakfast At Freds (modern day Breakfast At Tiffanys), which Blair also tried out for, Nate is having his own problems. Things are less then perfect for Vanessa and Aaron, while Jenny ends her boarding school search at Waverly Prep, the new centre of Gossip Girls spin off, The It Girl.

The Gossip Girl books; the glossy magazine of the teen-lit world. I dislike the characters; the fact that there is never a seemingly happy ending (just like life) which I cannot do without, and normally, the lives of the rich do not interest me at all. Yet here I am, reading each novel as soon as I can, and talking about fictional character's lives, with, frankly, as much enthusiasim as a particurlarily intriguing piece of gossip about someone I actually know. I've long ago stopped asking myself why, and have just come to accept the fact that I read and buy these books; and with a cover that matches the inside so perfectly, why should I worry? Nothing Can Keep Us Together, certainly keeps up with the rest of the series and lacks nothing. The ending, though somewhat suprising, seemed neithur un-realistic or untrue to the characters and I accepted it like everything else in the series. This book, although not without it's kinks, is certainly worth reading for any and every gossip girl fan; you will certainly not be disappointed.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Bristol, England

Me, Dead Dad, & Alcatraz by Chris Lynch

Elvin Bishop is a somewhat regular fourteen year old kid, although like every kid, he's a bit different. Along with his widowed mother, Elvin shares a pretty average home. He has two friends, each with their own eccentricities: one has a very parental attitude while the other is so self-absorbed he refuses to use a public restroom. Elvin is enjoying his life until it is thrown into a frenzy by the reappearence of his long believed dead uncle. It isn't a welcome reunion for Elvin. His Uncle Alex's return is a poor attempt to apologize for stealing the Bishop's money. Will Alex be able to win over Elvin to explain why he stole their money? Will Elvin be able to believe him?

Chris Lynch has a very good aspect of a fourteen year old teen. The writing is comical and makes the reader feel as if the main character could be their best friend. Lynch's subtle humor softens the serious nature of the story making it more believable. Me, Dead Dad, & Alcatraz would make an excellent read aloud book for teachers. It keeps the reader involved with its believablity. I recommend this book to kids who enjoy comedy but caution there is some sensitive material.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA

Shadow Life by Barry Denenberg

In Barry Denenberg's book Shadow Life, the life of Anne Frank and her family is highlighted. The book is separated into four parts, Part one is titled "Living", and it is in Narrative form. The life of the Franks before the war is told like a story. The everyday details of sisters Anne and Margot Frank's lives are explored. Part two is "Hiding". This portion of the story is a series of fictional diary entries by Margot Frank. Margot illuminates the terrors of the shadow life the Franks lived up to the part where they get found by the Nazis. Part three, "Dying" is in constructed in an oral history of the survivors of Aushwitz, Bergen- Belsen, and Westerbork. It tells the story of the Franks last seven months of life, right up to the very end. Finally,"Surviving" Part four is the memories of those who survived the terrible holocaust, and a conclusion to the horrific story of the Frank family.

In my opinion, Shadow Life wasn't a page turner. The format of the book was hard to follow, and it ruined the flow of the book each time the "part" ended. The book was very informational, but for leisure reading, I wouldn't suggest it. The portion of the book told by Margot Frank seemed very fictional and unrealistic. On a scale of one to ten, I'd give this book a 5.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 5
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Alexandria , VA USA

Saddles, Stars, and Stripes: Chance of a Lifetime by Debra Kent

What will happen next? Jacquetta’s brothers Marcus and Adam were sent off to fight in the Civil War. Yankees have taken over Vicksburg, seven miles away from her home in Green Haven, so now she has to live with her aunt in Brookmoor. Jacquetta rides away from her aunt’s house on horseback after she decides that she misses her parents too much, but to her surprise the Yankees have taken Brookmoor also and her parents have fled. She sneaks into her horse barn just to find that her servant girl, Peace, is feeding her horses sugar. Peace tells her that the Yankees are going to take the rest of her horses sometime soon and they decide to hide them in the woods. Wit, Peace’s brother, arrives at the location where they hid the horses and tells the girls that Rachel, who lives at Deerfield, would know about her parents’ whereabouts. The girls head off to Rachel’s house and when they get there, she tells them that her parents went to her uncle’s place in Alexandria, Louisiana. The girls and Wit plan to go there next. Peace, Jacquetta, and Wit have some problems along the way but face them together.

Wow, this book is awesome! You will think so too as soon as you read this. Saddles, Stars, and Stripes: Chance Of A Lifetime is a real page-turner and the first in the series. The characters are very adventurous. This was a wonderful book. I recommend this book to kids in grades 3-7. I hope whoever else reads this book enjoys it because I know I did. I look forward to reading more of the books in this series also. Each one is set at a different time, but all have a heroine and a horse in the story.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA United States

The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Anand is the Keeper of the Conch. He gave up his family and his home so that he can help the world, as a Healer in Silver Valley. His friend Nisha comes with him, the first ever female healer, and the master healer Abhaydatta is one of his instructors. As Anand struggles with his studies, he hears a warning from the wind and views an alarming scene on a wall. The Healers must take action; they know it is their duty to protect the world from the “evil that stirs.” Abhaydatta and a young healer called Raj-bahnu embark upon a quest to find this evil, leaving a heart-broken Anand behind. However, just before he leaves, Abhaydatta gives Anand a pearl necklace that will change color if he is in danger. In yet another alarming scene, Anand views Abhaydatta beside a lake with an unconscious Raj-bhanu at his side. He knows they are in danger, but the pearls are nowhere to be found. The Healer’s Council will decide upon a course of action in the morning, but Anand knows that by then it will be to late. The Conch agrees to transport Nisha and Anand to the lake, but something goes slightly awry. Can Anand find the Conch, Abhaydatta, and Nisha before evil destroys the world?

The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming expresses just how powerful love can be. Adventure, fantasy, and mystery intertwine to form an exciting novel with many important lessons. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has created a world of fantasy that involves so many of life’s true feelings and emotions that it seems real; a world full of hardships and triumphs. Readers young and old who love an exciting novel will definitely enjoy The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming, and anyone searching for a book with just the right blend of fantasy and reality has just found the perfect tale.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA

Eldest by Christopher Paolini

After the war with the kurgals, some leftover Kurgals come back and kill Aijihad, the twins, and Murtagh as an ambush. Nasuada, Aijihad's daughter takes the throne. Eragon is sent to finish his training with the elves. He learns a great deal about magic and life, evrything. But he soon finds out that he is needed for the Varden, that is fighting the empire. They look like they are winning the battle. Until a red dragon with a rider attacks Eragon. With all Eragon's training will it be enough to defeat this new rider?

This was my favorite book of all-time. The author writes in just the right amount of detail that you are not bored, but you understand the book very well. There was so much interesting things going on, I would read for hours at a time. The ending was amazing, and I can't wait for the next book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 20
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lutherville, Maryland U.S.A.

Call Me Maria by Judith Ortiz Cofer

“Call Me Maria” by Judith Ortiz Cofer is the only book I have ever read in which the theme is wrapped up in a three-word title. It perfectly expresses the feelings of the title character, Maria, a Puerto Rican native who moves from the sunny island to the barrios of New York out of love for her depressed father, despite the fact that such a transition is not best for her. Because of this move, Maria quickly transforms from an ‘allegre’ (happy) Maria to a ‘triste’ (sad) Maria, becoming slightly depressed and continuing in this depression without the reader knowing if she ever gets out of it. Maria’s experiences in the ‘gray, snow, dark, cold, lonely’ barrio include new friends, self-discovery, and realization of human weakness.

The slow beginning of “Call Me Maria” almost condemned the book for me, but it fortunately became more interesting as it progressed. Though Maria has her faults, which included crudity and a mild irreligious attitude, the charm of the desolate loneliness of her personality almost unwillingly pulled sympathy from the reader. I say ‘unwillingly’ in reference to the initial dullness of the story, but this early tedium is forgiven because of Cofer’s unique characterization style that is typified by her use of Maria’s insights into the characters of her friends. The book is composed primarily of characterizations by Maria, all of which together form an interesting if not stellar read. Recommended.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6
Reviewer Age: 17

Revenge of Rairarubia by W. Royce Adams

Revenge On Rairarubia, book 4 of the exciting series The Rairarubia Tapes Series, is the book I reviewed. In this book of the tale, Molly Doogan and her best friend, Netty Parmet, are just getting back from Rairarubia, a land from a story that originally was thought up of by Molly and her father. Once they returned, in the circle of nine stones that took them there sat an egg, a LARGE egg. They looked at the huge eggshell in the portal, and they found a small, but very noticeable, crack. In panic, the two take it back to Rairarubia. When they get there, a dear friend named Bovert greets them. He sees the great egg, and he falters. He tells them the danger of the Gremerkles, the large type of bird trying to escape the egg of a jail. As he tells them about the large animal, the roof of the greenhouse collapses, revealing a giant Gremerkle. When all hope seems lost, Queen Romey comes and kills the beast. After the rescue, she tells them a large predicament that involves she and her husband, King Sam: Their daughter, Princess Tracy, has been kidnapped by the Gremerkles. A rescue party is sent out, but Romey gets kidnapped and is infected with a deadly disease. Then another party is sent out: now to rescue them both! A traitor is about. He is seeking his revenge on Rairarubia. Who is the villain? What does he have in mind? Will Molly’s secret of Rairarubia be revealed? The tale goes on…

This reviewer thought that this book was great, even though he did not read any of the other books. This book was very good, but the book could be longer and more descriptive. The story need a lot more detail. But,it is an enjoyable book that can be read by anyone.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, Pennsylvania United States

Crushed by Laura and Tom McNeil

High school is a cruel place, or at least in the eyes of one Audrey Reed. Audrey is not only a social outcast at her new high school,but has unfortunately been placed on Theo Drigg's, the biggest bully in school, list. Does Audrey care though? No, because she has two of her best friends who are there no matter what,a rich father, brains, and for the first time in her life she has a boyfriend. Audrey's life seems to be perfect, but when her dad looses his job, Audrey's world starts to unravel, she is accused of cheating, she looses her big house, and her boyfriend may be the next article on 'The Yellow Paper," an underground article that reveals the secrets of people at school. In hopes to stop "The Yellow Paper" from revealing a secret, that Audrey doesn't even know, about Audrey's boyfriend, Audrey tries to solve the mystery of who is the writer of the yellow paper, and along the way tries to fix her world which seems to slowly be falling into chaos.

In this book I liked Audrey, but was disappointed that she continuely lied to herself and how easily she allowed her boyfriend to influence her. There was a chharacter in the book who I really liked named Clyde Mumsford, who was a great character because he saw his problems and instead of ignoring them tried to fix them. I kept on hoping that Audrey would do exactly what he did and face her problems. When Clyde tries to help Audrey, she acts like a complete jerk to him, and then later on has him beaten up. When Audrey did that I was really angry at her because he was only trying to help. Throughout the rest of the book I was angry at Audrey,because she hurt Clyde, but I couldn't help pitying her because she was loosing control of her world. "Crushed' was an emotional roller coaster for the characters in the book, and also for you, the reader, because the reader gets connected to the characters, and when something bad happens to a character the reader has a reaction that corresponds to how the character feels. I think the authors did a really good job at writing this book because they created these great characters who you couldn't decide if you hated them or loved them.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tucson, Arizona United States

Roll Call by Malcolm Rose

Amidst the hottest summer on record in a futuristic Britain, a young woman dies seemingly naturally. Though her ordeal was long and painful, no traces of poison were found in her system. Soon after, another woman is stabbed with an unknown object that leaves absolutely no trace. And yet another woman dies in a sauna from an unknown poison. What do the victims have in common? Their name: Emily Wonder. Forensic investigator Luke Harding and his robotic sidekick, Malc, are assigned to the case. Soon another young Emily Wonder vanishes and Luke must rescue her before a wall of water consumes London. The book takes you on a roller coaster ride through poisons that leave no trace, rare diseases, and delicacies that can kill you.

The book was very good, and it is by far infused with the most forensics of any in the Traces series. I certainly learned a lot about the intriguing world of forensics from this incredibly informational book. The book left me wondering until the climactic end. The perilous journey even touches on the science of tsunamis, which shows the book’s wide coverage of subjects. Malcom Rose does a superb job of mixing fact with some of the most interesting mysteries I have read in the Traces series.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Greencastle, PA USA

Lowji Discovers America by Candace Fleming

Lowji, main character in Candace Fleming’s book “Lowji Discovers America”, is a young Indian boy who moves from the big cities of India to a small town in America. The first thing Lowji wants in America is a pet, whether it be a cat, dog, or goat. Unfortunately for Lowji, his family moves into a ‘no pets allowed’ building, where he is supposed to resign himself to not having a pet for a while, at least. But Lowji doesn’t resign himself to life without pets, but instead amusingly maneuvers things so that he can have some, leading to adventures with all sorts of people.

While “Lowji Discovers America” is not a brilliant book, it is a charming one, perfectly suited to young children. I could find nothing seriously objectionable in it, either in style or morality, and enjoyed the read. “Lowji” would be labeled a ‘kiddy’ book by some tweens and all teens, but that is because it is meant for children, not excitement obsessed teenagers (a group of which I readily admit kinship with). This simple tale of an English-speaking Indian boy without pets was a delightful one, and would definitely find some fans among the ten and under set.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Isabella Swan moves to the town of Forks to live with her father. Coming from the city of Phoenix, Bella finds Forks to be a dull town. That is until she meets Edward Cullen, in sixth hour Biology. From the beginning there is a mysterious air about Edward that fascinates Bella. But Edward is not interested in Bella finding out anything about him, instead he keeps a wary distance from her. At the same time he has an uncanny ability of showing up wherever Bella is. Bella asks around about the Cullen’s, and soon hears a legend from a boy from the close by Indian reservation. She becomes obsessed with discovering why Edward and his family are so different from everyone else. What she discovers is so farfetched, yet believable to her. Edward is a vampire. To convince her to keep quiet about her finding, Edward agrees to answer her questions. Through these get-togethers, Edward and Bella form a close relationship. The intrusion of another vampire, a hunter puts Bella in grave danger. Edward goes to extreme lengths in order to keep Bella safe. The hunter makes Bella think that he has kidnapped her mother, so Bella runs away following his instructions. The ordeal she goes through convinces Bella that she also wants to become a vampire so that she can live the rest of her life with Edward. But he refuses to do so. He knows the difficulties of being a vampire and never wants Bella to have to go through it.

Twilight was an enchanting novel. Although it is about 500 pages, the prose is alluring and the book is hard to put down. The novel constantly had me guessing to what might happen next, and surprisingly presented a completely different occurrence. Though I enjoyed the novel immensely, I was rather disappointed by the ending. For such a good piece of work, I expected a more concrete conclusion. However, it does leave an opening for a possible sequel…

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Kansas City, Missouri United States

Lord of the Libraries by Mel Odom

Dwellers are librarians. They don’t fight; they protect books. They are quick on their feet and their intelligent minds tell them to hide at the first sign of danger. Jug is a dweller. He is also a First-level Librarian at the Vault-of-all-Known-Knowledge. When the grandmagister is kidnapped while rescuing Jug after a trap is set off in the Vault-of-all-Known-Knowledge, Jug is heart-broken. He goes in pursuit on the ship One-eyed Peggie. However, when the goblinkin ship holding the grandmagister hostage continues past Imarish, the city of the docks, where the grandmagister told Jug to go to find something that was hidden there, Jug has no choice but to stay in Imarish and let One-Eyed Peggie pursue the goblinkin ship without him. Jug sets out on an adventure that is filled with danger, an adventure that no normal dweller would even consider undertaking. But Jug is determined to save the grandmagister, and this quest is the only way. Can Jug conquer his fears of the adventure, his distrust of Craugh, the wizard who revealed his horrible past to Jug, and above all, rescue the grandmagister?

Mel Odom’s Lord of the Libraries is a great read. You are never sure whom you can trust, which leaves readers in suspense throughout the entire book. There are twists and turns from beginning to end, and even when you’re sure you finally know the outcome of one thing or another, something happens that you never expected. Readers who love fantasy and adventure will enjoy this book immensely, as this sequel to Destruction of the Books is an outstanding novel.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Chambersburg, PA USA

The Cloud Chamber

Nate Chance's life was fine. He has a best friend that did almost everything with him. His father taught him everything he knows (which was quite a lot), but after a freak hailstorm killed off the hay crop that would take the family out of debt, everything changed. Nate's mother became a walking vegetable and Nate's best friend doesn't even act like Nate ever existed. Only sister Junie believes that everything will be better. Nate somehow sees a ray of light in his klutzy science partner, Naomi. If they could win 1st Place, they could see their father in a mental hospital on the way to the state finals. Of course, this would never have happened if his father wouldn't have shot himself. But what if this family falls apart before then? Only time will tell.

The Cloud Chamber was one of the saddest books I've ever read! If you read this book because it sounds like a book full of hopes and dreams-- don't. It is sad in a very layered way. You get sad when the father shoots himself and even sadder when Nate's mother stops caring about life. There's a lot more layers that that. The descriptions and imagery in this book were amazing. I had an internal picture in my mind word for word through the entire book. You find yourself relating to all of the characters through your emotional journey. Towards the middle of the book, I hoped and prayed that the character's lives would turn back to normal. Overall I don't really count this as a book, but a life in itself - it was THAT extraordinary.

The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade by Doreen Lewis

In The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade, there are four twelve-year-old girls named Meg, Sara, Emily, and Kelly who are best friends and have sleepovers every weekend. The four friends start sixth grade and only see each other during lunchtime. This book tells about how they survive sixth grade together and how they are always there for each other during the best and worst of times. Each of them have different problems which they all help each other get through. After sixth grade ends, Emily will have to move to South Carolina with her grandma for the summer because her parents got divorced. Will this mess up their friendship and if so, what will happen to the Bubblegum Babes group with Emily's leaving? Find out in this wonderful book called The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade.

I think this book had a good plot. I enjoyed reading The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade by Doreen Lewis because I'm in the sixth grade too, just like the girls in this book. I recommend this book to girls around the same age as the Bubblegum Babes, which is twelve. The characters were fun to read about because they all had different personalities and were the same age as me. I hope you enjoy reading The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade because I know I did. This is the first book in a series of books about growing up and friendship, according to the back cover.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upperstrasburg, PA US

Montmorency On The Rocks by Eleanor Updale

In the sequel to the first book Montmorency, Montmorency now works with Sir Fox-de-Sewlyn as spies for England. Unfortunately, Montmorency must battle his addiction to a foreign drug and meet the man who saved his life in the first book: Doctor Farcett. In getting the doctor and fellow spy to meet, de-Sewlyn arranges for the three of them separately to go to his brother's estate in Scotland where the doctor eventually helps Montmorency get off his addiction, and then he and Montmorency must help a servants' village escape a massive death of dead babies.

Overall , this book was written well, the characters were full of life and the plot was suspensful. I felt that while I was reading it, I was actually in the story. The characters were not bland but were vivid and full of life. The book contains intellegent language but not too hard for any one. I recommend this book to people who wish to read a historical fiction or are interested in spies.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Tucson, Arizona USA

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney

Sassafras Springs is just a boring farming town, assumes plucky young Eben McAllister. Until one day, when his pa challenges him to find the Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs — in seven days. If he succeeds, Eben’s pa will let him take the trip to Colorado that he has been dreaming of. Aunt Pretty thinks it is a bad idea at first, that Eben should stay home and mind the farm with his pa, but then she agrees because she knows how restless he is. Eben is excited to have found six wonders already — which, by the way, include a life-saving apple ead doll and a real ship in a bottle — when he finds out that a sickness is going through the Colorado town of his destination, and the trip is off. He is very disappointed until Aunt Pretty makes arrangements for him to visit St. Louis instead. Eben is back on track pursuing his goal . . . one more wonder, and he is off to the train station.

Overall, The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs is a delightful, energetic story with likable characters. The book has a well-thought-out plot. I usually like science fiction and fantasy books, so I was not sure if I would enjoy this, but The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs really surprised me. I enjoyed reading it very much. It was heart-warming in some places, and sad in others, and it was interesting to see how Eben comes to realize that even a small town like Sassafras Springs can have wonders of its own. I would recommend this book to anyone, and readers who enjoyed Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder will love this.

Lost Bullet by Malcolm Rose

In book two of the Traces series, we re-join Luke Harding, a forensic investigator, and his robotic sidekick in London. The city has fallen into disrepair and roaming wild animals are reclaiming the city. Amid all this chaos, a war between brown and white people rages. A white boy named Owen is shot and is aided at a hospital. His doctor ends up shot soon after treating him. Is this a brown vs. white crime? Is she killed because she’s a doctor? Is this one of the random crimes that plagues London so often? With the bullet washed away in the rain, Luke must infiltrate one of the most secretive organizations in London to find out the truth.

The book was really good. It requires you to examine your own morals and choose someone with whom to agree. It’s a wonderful mystery story almost impossible to anticipate with every new twist set against a haunting and ominous London. There is a point in the book where I guarantee your palms will sweat and you will block everything else out. A fast-paced story coupled with true forensic techniques makes this a must-read for anyone who favors a good adventure that is feasible.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Greencastle, PA USA

Casa Azul: An Encounter with Frida Kahlo by Laban Carrick Hill

The simultaneous stories of Frida Kahlo following her divorce to Diego Rivera, Maria and Victor Ortiz in their search of their mother in Mexico City, and the wresting match between El Corazon and El Diablo are told by Laban Carrick Hill in Casa Azul. Fourteen year-old Maria and her nine year-old brother Victor board a bus from their small village to go to Mexico City after the death of their grandmother. Maria seeks not only her mother but also the independance she was denied in her village. They meet Oswaldo, the accomplice of the wanted thief Oscar soon after arriving in Mexico City. Although Maria does not trust him, Maria and Victor enjoy adventures together and view Mexico City froma vantage point that few visitors ever see. Maria tells Victor of the matches of El Corazon and El Diablo, famed in Mexico when they are feeling down to keep him excited and entertained. However, this simple story turns out to dictate a lot to each of the characters in Casa Azul. Frida Kahlo's childhood home of Casa Azul is not only magical with her paintings talking and giving advice, but also caring with Fuland and Chico, her monkey and cat. Their animated conversations keep the reader entertained. This episode of art history gives the reader, whether an art lover or not, an intimate look at a famous artist often put in the backgound because of her famous husband Diago Rivera. The satisfying ending makes the novel well worth reading.

Laban Carrick Hill does an excellent job of personifying the name, Frida Kahlo, that students often read in textbooks. The parallel stories especially add to the drama because the reader is constantly wondering about what is happening to the other characters until they finally all meet each other. Casa Azul is a page turner not only because of the depth into which each story is told but more so because of the switching view points. Similar to historical fiction telling the stories of figures of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Hill's art fiction draws the reader into the history a lot more than a textbook would and definitely gives a more personable account of a famous person. I doubt that Casa Azul will become a best seller but it is definitely worth reading whether one knows anything about Frida Kahlo or not. I wish the author would have included more historical facts about the Mexican Revolution istead of just hinting at it.

Flamingnet Reviewer Age: 17

Flamingnet Reviewer City, State and Country: Kansas City, MO USA

Framed! by Malcom Rose

In a futuristic Britain, Luke Harding is the youngest Forensic Investigator ever. On the day he is certified, Luke is assigned to a case that is too close to home. A student at the school he attends is murdered with an arrow, and the only fingerprints on the arrow are Luke’s! With his robotic sidekick, Malc, Luke is equipped with everything he needs to deal with a world where people are ‘paired’, cats and dogs are all but extinct, and people with white skin are jeered and teased. Luke must prove himself innocent of the series of murders that all point to him.

I enjoyed the book. Malcom Rose is clearly qualified to write the book, as he is a forensic teacher. The scientific facts are laced masterfully with an entertaining story. The only thing that the story lacks is character emotions. Though the development is fine, and we know exactly the disposition of each character, the feelings of the character leave a bit to be desired. All in all, the book is very good and certainly worth reading.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Flamingnet Reviewer Age: 12
Flamignet Reviewer City, State and Country: Greencastle, PA USA

Anthem by Ayn Rand

Equality 7-2521 is not like the other brothers. For one thing, he has a head quicker than most. He desires to become a Scholar and question all things. In the society of Equality 7-2521, the worst transgression is to prefer. Nothing is superior. Everything is all the same. Equality 7-2521 makes a huge discovery, but keeps it to him, for it is Uncharted. If the Council found out, he would be severely punished for breaking the law. There he discovers the secrets of the Unthinkable Times and satisfies some of his hunger for knowledge. He meets Liberty 5-3000, a girl, and falls in love without the Council of Eugenics assigning them together. Both of them escape to the Uncharted Forest and realize the power of the one Unspeakable Word.

It was a book that definitely made me think. However, the plot is very similar to that of The Giver. It also contains some elements from The White Mountains. Ayn Rand gives many of the modern-day concepts and items obscure and unclear names.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 12

Alice On Her Way by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Alice, a fifteen year old living in Maryland, only has a couple of goals in mind for her near future: getting a date to the Jack of Hearts dance because she and Patrick broke up; going to New York with her friends on their school trip; and getting her driver's license when she turns sixteen. When Sam Mayer, a photographer on the school newspaper with her, asks Alice out, she finds him perfect. Everything goes well with her and her best friends Elizabeth, Pamela, and Gwen until their trip to New York. More of their problems surface and changes are realized. All this takes place in front of a backdrop of her church class "Our Whole Lives" that her Dad signed her up for. Although she dreads going to it in the beginning, she looks forward to it and realizes its importance towards the end.

Like many books written for teenagers today, Phyllis Naylor's Alice on Her Way portrays a teenage girl trying to get along in the world. Naylor's laid back style of writing makes the book relatively quick read. Although this book is not really original in its plot and approach to teen-agers, there is a lot of positive in it. I doubt Alice will make it to the top of the best-seller lists but it is a fun read. Alice can be compared to Meg Cabot's Mia but it is a lot faster paced and Naylor takes a totally different approach to presenting her plot. Overall, Alice on Her Way is worth reading in some spare time.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 5
Reviewer Age: 17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Kansas City, Missouri USA

Chopstick

Chopstick is the story of Paige Winsome and Kate Kennedy, who both love music. Paige needed a guitar and Kate emailed her back about one she would sell her. When they met up at their dads' same work place, Rainmaker, one of the the largest employers in Snake River Valley, Paige buys the guitar from Kate and invites her to Two Trees, a Chinese resturant and she accepts. When they are done with their meal, they decide that they should have something that symbolizes their love of music. Kate looked around a minute and discovered they could each wear a chopstick in their hair as the symbol and that's how their friendship began. Each girl is in the same singer-songwriter contest to compete for the four dollar prize so that they can give it to charity, as they find out later. Will this contest ruin their friendship or make it better? Find out in this awesome book called Chopstick, the second book of the Friends For A Season series. There are four books in this series and there's a website too at http://www.friendsforaseason.com.

This book is on fire! You will think so too as soon as you start reading Chopstick. I will admit at first it was a little hard to understand until I figured out that Chopstick alternates from Paige's to Kate's perspective the whole way through this book. Each girl is telling the story of their own life and how they meet up with one another and become the greatest friends anyone could ever have. Now if you ask me I think this book sounds awesome and it really is. I think you definitely should buy this book if you like books about competition.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10
Flamingnet Reviewer Age: 11
Flamingnet Reviewer City, State and Country: Upperstrasburg, PA US

Princess in Training: Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

This book is the sequel to Princess in Pink. In this book, Mia has more important things her mind. By important we mean, running for student council against Lana, dumping snails in the Bay of Genovia, and the most important thing of all, doing IT with Michael. With a fantastic show of understanding and smarts, Mia blows the student body away. Michael is an understanding boyfriend and they work it out. Now you may ask, well, what about the snails? Well, you'll just have to find out in Princess in Training.

I think that Meg Cabot has done a good job in portraying Mia's life again. Mia is like a typical high schooler even though she is a princess and faces problems we could face someday and that makes it easier for readers to relate to her. All the song titles and movies are also modern enough that we know them.Each chapter relates to the next and some are even just 5 words long! Also, Meg puts some fun little activities that Mia did into her diaries and you can do it too. As the books progress, Cabot starts putting more adult material in it. I recommend this book for older kids. A very well written book.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Flamingnet Reviewer Age: 12
Flamingnet Reviewer City, State and Country: Tucson, Arizona USA

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Liz had an okay life. She was going to get her learner's permit in about a year, she had a prom coming up, and she had a pretty nice family. Then, one morning she wakes up to find herself on a boat! She meets all sorts of strange characters on the boat. Such as Curtis Jest, a member of her favorite band, Machine, and Thandi, a girl who claims to have been shot in the head. Liz is positive she's dreaming. Liz gets a letter, telling her to visit the Observation Deck. When she gets there, she gazes upon her own funeral. Then she gets it. This isn't a dream. She's dead. Liz struggles in her first year in Elswhere. But, she makes friends, gets a job, and makes peace with her death.

I loved this book! To me, it represented that every cloud has a silver lining. Liz was a great character, sometimes bratty, but nevertheless, she was very sweet. I also loved this book because I love dogs. It would be cool to be able to talk to dogs for a job. After reading this book, I decided that when I die, I would like to go to Elsewhere.

Alice Macleod, Realist at Last by Susan Juby

"Alice Macleod, Realist at Last," Susan Juby's latest novel, continues the adventures of Alice Macleod, a self-proclaimed outcast who was home schooled for ten years before attending a public school. This is the third installment in a highly successful series which also includes the
books "Alice, I Think" and "Miss Smithers."

The book begins during the summer before seventeen-year-old Alice's senior year and her world seems to be falling apart. Her mother has been jailed for protesting the building of a toxic plant. Her boyfriend has recently moved to Scotland with his parents. Her empathetic counselor Bob has been temporarily replaced by the detached Ms. Deitrich. To top it all off the family's home-based candle making business has been snuffed out leaving Alice and her father in need of some fast employment.

And that's just the start of Alice's troubles.

This engaging story is told in the first person through pieces of Alice's diary and snippets of her tentatively titled screenplay "Of Moose and Men" where she has cast herself in the lead. The narrative devices skillfully convey Alice's unique outlook on life, but it might take several pages for new readers to warm up to her voice. Her sense of humor is quirky and often times quite dark. Alice's previous exploits are occasionally alluded to during the course of this novel, but reading the first two books isn't mandatory in order to thoroughly enjoy this one.

Alice is the kind of character that readers will find charming. Potentially sensitive topics (such as Alice's mother's incarceration) are dealt with in a non-offensive and light-hearted manner. However, the book contains sexual content that may not be suitable for younger readers. This is a funny and entertaining book for ages twelve and up.

Reviewed by Amy Vance for Flamingnet Book Reviews
www.flamingnet.com
Preteen and young adult book reviews and recommendations

Ariel by: Grace Tiffany

"Ariel" by Grace Tiffany is a re-creation of William Shakespeare’s "The Tempest". Ariel is a powerful spirit who does not possess a physical body. However, she can shift shape, control people’s minds, create other spirits, and show images in the air. In the beginning of the book, Ariel starts out as a dream that belongs to a sailor named Jasper. A storm has swept Jasper onto an island. Over time, Jasper starts to go mad. He starts praying to his dreams and calls the spirit Ariel out of them. Jasper finally dies of his madness, but Ariel lives on. One day, a pregnant woman named Sycorax washes up onto the island. She and Ariel help each other to survive. Finally, Sycorax is about to give birth to her baby. She asks Ariel to help her, but Ariel cannot because she is only a spirit. Angry, Sycorax prays to her god, Setebos, to trap Ariel. Setebos turns Ariel into an ant and sticks her inside a tree! To find out what happens to Ariel, and Sycorax, read on for yourself!

"Ariel" is an enchanting book. Many interesting characters show up on Ariel’s island, including Sycorax’s “monster” son, Caliban; Prospero the farmer and his young daughter, Miranda; Alonso the king of Naples and his son, Ferdinand; Prospero’s “evil” brother Antonio; and Ariel’s three spirit minions—Acrazia, Nous, and Fantasia. At some points Ariel is a little slow, but other parts are exciting and read quickly. Readers who like "Treasure Island" and those who like Shakespeare’s stories would like Ariel.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by: GS

Tackling Dad by: Elizabeth Levy

Cassie was the star of the pee-wee football team a few years ago. Many things have changed since then, such as her parents getting divorced. Now she only visits her dad on weekends. When she and her best friend Molly make the new football team, will Cassie ever get her parents to sign the form to allow her to play in the games? If they do let Cassie play, will she ever get the respect she wants from the boys on the team? How much longer will Cassie be able to stand Serena, her new step-mom(Mrs. Tofu Queen), who gets worked up over almost everything? You can find out in this terrific book called "Tackling Dad".

This book was a page-turner and and I enjoyed spending the time to read it! At first I didn't know how this book would be since it was about football and I don't like football, but this book turned out to be excellent. The things the characters said in "Tackling Dad" were very funny. I recommend "Tackling Dad" to pretty much anybody who likes to read funny books, but especially if you like football.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by: CMy

Under the Persimmon Tree" by Suzanne Fisher Staples

The year is 2001. Afghanistan is in the middle of a war between the Taliban and the US-backed Northern Alliance. The story follows two extraordinary people: Najmah and Nusrat. Najmah, whose name means ‘star’, has lost almost all of her family to the fighting. Her only remaining relative is an uncle, whose sole aim is to steal the land that her father wanted her so much to protect. Najmah has no choice, but to accompany a family of travelers, as they are the only people, it seems, that care about her. The other main character is a woman by the name of Nusrat, an American living in Peshawar, Pakistan. Her school for refugee children under her persimmon tree keeps her mind away from her husband, who is working in northern Afghanistan as a doctor. Through a perilous journey, Najmah comes to live with Nusrat, and their lives entwine, as Najmah studies under the persimmon tree with other children who have seen more hardship in their young lives than Nusrat has seen in her entire lifetime.

This book was an amazing testament to those who must give up their lifestyle and possessions to warfare and hardship. "Under the Persimmon Tree" gives a face to all those who surrender all individuality to the western media, and are just masses of people in their eyes. I could not put the book down. I received the book on a Friday evening, and was done by Saturday morning. The way Suzanne Fisher Staples writes is both knowledgeable and empathetic. Her firsthand experience of the change of Afghanistan from a cultural center to a barren wasteland translates very clearly into the amazing and true-to-life storyline. Ms. Staples lived in Afghanistan from the time before the Soviet Invasion that changed the country forever to the time of the Taliban takeover. The ending leaves readers to wonder, and yet a sense of closure is within a close grasp. Under the Persimmon Tree is an essential to anyone with family members fighting in Afghanistan, who follow events there, or just want to learn about the war that seems to have disappeared out of our media spotlight.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by: CS

A.D. 62: Pompeii by: Rebecca East

A twenty-first century woman named Miranda is stranded in A.D. 62 Pompeii as a house slave of a wealthy family. True, that's what she came to do, get an up close and personal look into the lives of first century Romans. However, with no way to get back home, it looks like she'll be there forever, or at least until Mt. Vesuvius covers the entire city with 20 feet of lava, mud, and ash. Slowly through the help of storytelling and music she makes her way up the ladder of slaves so instead of scrubbing floors and cleaning chamber pots she is playing her flute for guests at dinner parties. Soon she finds her self attracted to the master of the house, but love between a slave and her master is absolutely unheard of. Truly a different kind of love story.

The beginning was good, the middle was a bit slow, but the end was TERRIFIC! The beginning was packed with detail about her surroundings. The middle was the day to day life of a slave with the same thoughts, ideas, and actions repeated over and over. The end was filled to the brim with action and plot. The book also tends to deal with rather mature ideas. Set some time aside for the end because you won't want to stop until you have finished the last page.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: KA

Nasty Book by: Barry Yourgrau

This book is as collection of stories. The stories are comical, creepy, gorey, scary, gross, and nasty. Some of them have a mission to scare you, while others just live up to the name "nasty". They are all good for a sleepless night.

This book was okay. The author did a good job on making up nasty stories. Many of them were too unbeleivable. They weren't that nasty, becuase I know some of the events couldn't happen. However, some of them really sent the hair on my neck rising.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by: RC

Orphans of Chaos by: John C. Wright

"Orphans of Chaos" involves five children, Amelia, Quentin, Victor, Colin, and Vanity, who are living in a British orphanage. As time goes on, the children discover unusual, unbelievable things about themselves. They can do incredible things like walk on air, unlock bolted doors, and reach into the fourth dimension. It becomes evident that they are not humans at all, but rather supernatural beings whose memories and powers have been stripped away from them and who have been trapped within the boundaries of the orphanage. Where are they from? Who has confined them here, and why?

Like a master chef sprinkling seasoning over a dish, Wright has flavored his fantasy with hints of science, mythology, and mystery. The plot was enthralling, and the characters multi-layered. As the story progresses and questions from previous chapters are answered, new questions arise, keeping you spellbound from cover to cover. There were a few parts in the book, usually pretty short, with scientific concepts that went a little over my head, but they did not detract at all from my enjoyment of the book, and might make it more fun to read through a second time. I thought this book was very well written, and genuinely regreted to set it down once I was finished. I'd love to read the sequel. It is a good read for most young adults who like fantasy.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: SV

Dustin Grubbs, One Man Show by: John J. Bonk

In his first novel "Dustin Grubbs, One Man Show", John J. Bonk examines the intersection of dreams and reality in middle school. The hero, Dustin Grubbs, wants to change the world through his stage performances. Unfortunately, Dustin has no acting experience since his mother does not approve of the theater because his father deserted the family three years ago to become a stand-up comic. When sixth grade teacher Miss Honeywell proposes a play, Dustin ignores his mother’s expected disapproval and pursues his goal. Then reality sets in. Calamity becomes the star of The Castle of the Crooked Crowns as a fire drill stops the show. On the day of the rescheduled performance Dustin manages to get locked in the boys’ bathroom. When the janitor finally rescues him, his entire class and new student TV child star Jeremy Jason Wilder watch him appear from the stall. A public bathroom rescue should be the worst event ever, but it isn’t. A broken piano isn’t the worst either. Neither is Principal Futterman’s giving the starring role to Jeremy. The worst part is when Dustin almost let his fascination with Jeremy damage his friendship with Wally Dorkin, Ellen Mennopi aka LMNOP, and the other kids at Buttermilk Falls Middle School. Although few middle school students have TV stars in their school, many have dreamed of the friendship of an unresponsive someone and will identify with Dustin’s attempt to understand friendship, trust, and loyalty. John Bonk has created a believable middle school atmosphere with its puns, alliteration, and bathroom humor. Readers may welcome another visit to Buttermilk Falls when the sequel comes out in 2006.

John Bonk has captured the drama of middle school with its emphasis on friendships and peer pressure. The characters are believable and a little goofy, just like middle schoolers. I liked visiting Buttermilk Falls Middle School and wonder what the kids will be up to in the sequel. I would recommend this book to folks with a sense of humor.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

This book was reviewed by a Graduate Student

The Lace Dowry by: Andrea Cheng

When Juli and her mama go to Halas to order an elegant lace tablecloth for Juli's dowry, she finds a new friend named Roza, otherwise known as the best lacemaker's daughter. They return every two months to the lacemaker's shop to check up on the progress of the tablecloth and to make payments on it. Juli's mama doesn't want her having a friend from the country. So when her mama finds out Juli and Roza have become friends, Juli's mama forces her to go to dance class instead of going to Halas with her. Juli is afraid that Roza might go blind like her (Roza's) mama and she decides to help her. How, you ask? Well, instead of using the money her mama gave her for white dance shoes, Juli uses it to buy something that she thinks will help Roza not to go blind from making lace, but will Juli ever see Roza again to give it to her? Find out in one of the greatest books ever, called "The Lace Dowry".

I loved this book so much that I wished it would never end. The Lace Dowry is set in 1933 in the city in Budapest. This book has magnificent characters that are interesting to read about. I enjoyed reading this book very much because it had a wonderful plot and the setting was unusual. This book also has a moral question: Is it ok to tell lies and steal to help someone else who is in need? Everything about this book is awesome, and I recommend "The Lace Dowry" to everybody.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 10

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by CMy

His Oldest Friend by Sonny Kleinfeld

When Elvis started volunteering at the nursing home, it was to keep out of trouble. He was a poor, Hispanic young man living in a not-so safe neighborhood in New York City, and everyday just trying to stay alive. But when Elvis is hired look in on Ms. Oliver, a resident of the home, their weekly check-ups gradually turn into daily visits, and a rare and strong relationship is formed. While Elvis brings light into Ms. Oliver's dull world at the nursing home, she gives him the strength and wisdom to better his life day by day.

His Oldest Friend is not a book that I will pick up again any time soon. Though Kleinfield is a renowned journalist, when it comes to books geared for young adults, his work is not up to expectations. The story itself is a bit cliché, an elderly person enlightening a troubled youth and vice-versa, but also, the use of vocabulary did not seem to fit the age group the book was written for. By the time the book was over, I not only didn't particularly care what became of the characters, but I wasn't able to absorb any points that Kleinfield was trying to make with this story, which left me feeling that I went through the trouble of reading the book for nothing.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4

Reviewer Age: 15

Gulliver Zone by: Stephen Baxter

In the world of "The Web" series, people are hooked up to the internet by using suits that take their minds to the web. Sarah is one of the many users on the Web, and on world peace day takes a friend and her annoying little brother on a trip to the Gulliver Zone, a virtual magical kingdom. However, after meeting a small race of people called lilliputians, Sarah and her brother are shrunk down to the lilliputian's size. Now Sarah, George, and a lillputian named Cefven must go to the castle of the sorceress, grow back to normal, save her friend, and save a race of people from an evil tyrant before they are all stuck in the Gulliver Zone.

"The Gulliver Zone," set in a not so distant future, begins and ends as a great book. The plot is really good and it made me not want put the book down. The premise for the book, though not original, makes a lot of sense and the writer did a good job of playing that out.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewed by: RF

Poppy's Return by: Avi

When Poppy's sister, Lily, unexpectedly arrives in Dimwood Forest with bad news that her family's and friends' home will be destroyed, Poppy decides to go back to her old home and try to save Gray House. How will she manage taking along her bratty teenage son, Ragweed Jr. (a mouse) and his best friend, Mephitis. When Poppy returns to Gray House, will she accept her father's plans for her, and will she be able to stop the bulldozer from wrecking the house? If not, what will happen to all the mice that live there? Find out in this amazing story of "Poppy's Return".

I thought this book was exciting to read. I didn't want to put it down when it was time for bed but I had to. The book had amazing characters with many different personalities. This book was a real page turner but I only gave it an eight because of the weird stuff Ereth (a porcupine) says. The illustrations were drawn by Brian Floca and are detailed black and white pictures. I really liked the ones that had Poppy in the picture; she's a really cute mouse. The plot was interesting, and my favorite character was Ragweed Jr. because he did hilarious things. I recommend this book for kids ages 8-12 because the language is fairly easy.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 11

Reviewed by: CMy

The Foretelling by: Alice Hoffman

This novel is a coming of age story centered around the life of a young Amazon queen-to-be, Rain. It tells of her relationship, or lack therof, with her mother, the Queen of the Amazon women, and all of the things that are expected of her as the future Queen. The novel starts with Rain being absolutely sure of what she wants and the course that her life should take. Throughout the novel, however, she slowly begins considering what life can be like outside of the never-ending war that is the empire of the Amazon women.

The overall idea and plot of the novel is both original and creative while tying in themes that most young adults can relate to. Alice Hoffman also did a good job of using symbols consistently throughout the novel. Although the novel is exciting because of its originality, at the same time you finish it with a feeling of incompleteness and sadness-- as if the entire journey you have taken with Rain is pointless. Although Rain does age in the novel by many years, the content of her thoughts seem to remain the same. Had the author not written that she had gotten older, I would not have thought so. Besides this fact, I do feel that the novel is interesting and worth reading, just don't expect to finish it feeling as though you have taken a meaningful journey along with the main character.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6

Reviewer Age: 15

Reviewed by: ACC

The Printer's Devil by: Paul Bajoria

It all starts when the Printer's Devil is making wanted posters of an ugly convict named Cockburn. Mog Winter had stayed up late one night after printing 100 copies of the poster. Once done with that, the orphan had to deliver a bill to one of Mr. Cramplock's customers (he's Mog's employer). The man who is to receive the bill's name is Mr. Flethick. Mog finds Flethick in his room with several other men smoking and speaking of things like "The Sun of Calcutta" and "The Bonsun". Before you could blink and eye Mog is whisked away in a grand adventure involving thieves, camels, deception, and a mysterious past.

I thought that "The Printer's Devil" was good, but definitely a book you might want to use a notecard as a bookmark to keep track of who's who. At times it can be dreadfully confusing as to who's doing what and how they're involved in the first place. I thought the writing was inconsistent at times. One chapter would be smooth and the next it would take a while to catch up with the plot line. It was almost as if you missed something important. Warning: When reading this book be prepared for the weird little twists and turn that could utimately change the plot for somthing totally different. Assume nothing.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: KA

Worlds of the Golden Queen by: David Farland

David Farland takes you on an adventure through amazing worlds, where there is knowledge on how to expand life, create new creatures/lifeforms, and so much more. But throughout the thousands of worlds there is suffering of people, for the Golden Queen Semarritte is dead, and now the Dronon are in control of the worlds. The Dronon are nasty creatures who have created chaos throughout the worlds. But there is hope to overthrow the Dronon by means of Semarritte's clone, Everynne. On the way to regain control of the worlds Everynne comes across three people, a bodyguard named Gallen, an orphen named Maggie, and a bear named Orick. Gallen, Maggie, and Orick live on what is known as a backwards world, where the tecnologies of the other worlds have been rejected by the original people on the backwards world, and so when they agree to help Everynne they have no idea of what kinds of things or people they will find on their adventure. Throughout Gallen, Maggie, and Orick's journey they find good and bad worlds and people, that always tests what they believe in . The only thing certain about this adventure is it will change them all forever.

I loved "Worlds of the Golden Queen." it was a great book with characters you easily could like. The bad guys in the book you hated, but felt bad for them because of the fact that they were convinced that what they were doing was going to make the world a better place. The best part of the book, in my opnion, was the first time Gallen, Maggie, and Orick meet Everynne. I liked that part the best because that is when Maggie, Gallen, and Orick's life changing adventure begins.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by : VR

Steel Magic by: Andre Norton

Avalon is Earth’s guardian. If Avalon falls into the hands of evil, Earth will soon follow. When Greg, Sara, and Eric are transported to Avalon by a hidden door in a castle and learn how close Avalon is to destruction they know they have to help. With the aid of a steel knife, fork, and spoon, they set off in search of three missing talismans, the protectors of Avalon. Without these iron objects in a land where iron is deadly, the war against evil is sure to fail. Each of them must conquer their individual fears to rescue the sword Excalibur that belongs to King Arthur, the Horn that is Huon’s, the Warden of the West, and the ring that circles Merlin’s finger. If they don’t succeed, Avalon will fall, and Earth, as they know it will be no more.

Magic is real in Andre Norton’s book, Steel Magic. The imagery is vivid throughout the book, and fear is always present and always in different forms. Young readers will adore this thrilling adventure. Andre Norton has created a new fantasy world.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by: SMo

The Adventures of a Notorious Youth: Capt. Hook by: J.V. Hart

Just like the title promises, this book is all about the youth adventures of Captain Hook. He goes to a school called Eton where he becomes infamous. Roger (nicknamed Jolly Roger) becomes James' best friend, James falls in love with a Sultana, and he creates total havoc at Eton. All the while, he had his loyal spider, Electra, by his side. As the book progresses, James makes a dramatic exit from Eton and gains his ship, the Jolly Roger. With his ship and friends by his side, James sets off in search of the perfect island he has always dreamed of.

This book was very interesting. It explained a lot about Captain Hook and how things came to be how they were in Peter Pan. The ending was a bit vague but you can connect it with Peter Pan and figure out what happens. The book has a lot of vivid word choices and the plot twists and turns a lot. Some parts of the book are a little disturbing so this book is better for older kids. Perhaps when you are done with this book, your outlook on Captain Hook will change.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by: AW

Out of Time by: John Marsden

"Out of Time" by John Marsden has multiple plots to it, but the main one is about a boy named James who sneaks over to Lab 17 every night, where Mr.Woodford makes extrodinary scienctific inventions. One night James sees Mr. Woodford's newest invention, a time machine, but the following night when James goes into Lab 17 he finds Mr. Woodford dead. However, temptation rises and James takes the little time machine home with him. Now that James has the power of time, will he use it to help the lives of others or will he use it for his own personal gain? He must decide for himself before the opportunity is lost.

"Out of Time" has some good aspects in it, like its multiple plot lines, interesting main story, and great theme. However, the multiple plot lines fail to even remotely go together. The ending is highly disappointing and how the author changes from one plot to another in a paragraph-like structure is a complete flop. Again, the book is an interesting idea, but Mr. Marsden does not make it work.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewed by: RF

"Your Name in Print" by: Elizabeth Harper and Timothy Harper

"Your Name in Print" is about how you can improve your writing. Throughout the book, you are taught how to find subjects to write about, tactics you can use to help yourself write better, and examples on how hard work and determination can help your writing. You also learn in this book how you can get your work known to the public. "Your Name in Print" will help teach you how to write anything from school reports to books.

"Your Name in Print" was an interesting book. The most interesting parts of the book for me was when you would learn about how some writer started out. The book did have useful tips on how to help improve your writing, and good ways on how to come up with ideas to write about. It also taught you a lot about how to start out in writing, and move up to doing bigger things. The book did having some parts in it where I was daydreaming while I read it, but other than those few parts, I was really into what I was reading.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 13

Reviewed by VR

Girls Dinner Club by Jessie Elliot is a story about three high school girls of very different backgrounds bonding together to uncover the mysteries of love, friendship, and the art of cooking. Elliot successfully creates a relationship between the book’s characters and the reader. It’s an entertaining tale of the recipes of life, however too advanced for the targeted audience, who may not be able to see beyond some of the titillating details. Best friends Junie and Celia welcome classmate Danielle to join them for dinner one evening after working on a school project. The casual meal turns into a weekly tradition where the girls try their hand at lavish, mouth-watering cuisines while developing an unbreakable sisterhood union. Individually, the girls each have problems they are desperately trying to overcome. Junie’s yearlong relationship comes to a screeching halt when she becomes unsure of the direction it is taking, and then she becomes tempted by Danielle’s hunky twenty-one-year-old cousin. Celia’s sheltered world is turned upside-down when her father brings home a new woman and her annoying or wait, maybe her mystifyingly charming nephew. Life hasn’t been easy for Danielle being raised by mom, grandma, and big sis Christine especially when bad boy Steve resurfaces as a "changed man." The lack of parental guidance throughout the novel is evident when the seventeen-year-olds either have no curfew at all, or defy the 11:00 p.m. weeknights and 12:30 a.m. weekends set for them. Together the trio battles decisions of sex, underage drinking, cheating boyfriends, and sneaking around behind their parents' backs. The content is not appropriate for 12 and below. I would not be comfortable with middle school readers being exposed to issues like sex, underage drinking, and defiance of family rules. However, this behavior is perfectly acceptable according to this book.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 6

Reviewer Age: 24

Reviewed by: NY

Click Here by: Denise Vega

In this book, a girl named Erin is going through some major changes in her life. She is seperated from her best friend, Jilly, who have always been in the same class together. Now, in middle school, the two girls are seperated into different 'tracks'. Erin is learning how to get on with life by herself, since she has always relied on Jilly to make decisions for the both of them. Erin lets out her feelings on a web-site meant for NO ONE to see. When something terrible happens to Erin, she has to learn how to fix her mistakes.

I didn't really like this book. I found that I did not enjoy the author's style and Erin's personality . She kind of reminded me of a more modern, female Charlie Brown. Only she wasn't as hopeless.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 4

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by RC

The Wandering Schoolgirl by: Gary L. Gallegos

Sixteen year old Breanna Cota is spending a week over a her uncle's place with a few friends planning on going to an anime convention. Not seeing why her friends want to go she goes along anyway. At the convention Breanna gets her photo taken, but instead of a regular photo this one takes her to an actual anime world and plops her right in the middle of a battle between evil world leaders and the resistanse. Here she meets a cast of interesting people along with her talking pig backpack. After going back to the real world, Breanna describes the world she's seen and creates a team out of her friends, and her uncle, to save the anime world.

To start off "The Wondering Schoolgirls" is one funny book. It is full of anime puns used as great comedy. The plot is as most animes, but there is a spin so everyone can enjoy it. Huge anime fans may not find this book great, but they might still get a kick out of seeing how their favorite anime characters are compiled into this one book. I can't wait for the next book in the series

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9

Reviewer Age: 14

Reviewed by: RF

The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco by Janice Repka

The story begins at the marvelous Windy Van Hooten Circus, where Phillip Edward Stanislaw, the protagonist, is just trying to fit in. There he cleans up animal poop during one act while the horse rider, Helga, rides her horse around the ring. The end to his current circus career comes when he tries to find a boy in the stands while Helga is doing her act. Without Phillip there to clean up the poop the horse slips in its own droppings, ruining her act. When she talks to his parents he decides he wants to leave the circus. So off Phillip goes to stay in Hardingtown, Pennsylvania, The Unofficial Dodgeball Capital of the World, to stay with his Aunt Veola, his mothers sister, and his Uncle Felix. When he arrives at school the next day, he discovers that being an average kid in Hargingtown is pretty hard when the school bully, B.B. Tyson, doesn't like you very much. In his first dodgeball game he escape getting hit by climbing the rope hanging from the ceiling. After school he goes to his aunt's workplace where she is a security guard. At the snack bar Phillip meets the blind cashier, Sam, and they become friends. During the next few weeks at school, Phillip sprains his wrist and tries to petition against dodgeball, but the petition has to be approved by the Student Body President. The bad thing is B.B. is the President and he doesn't stand a chance. When his wrist is better he has to play dodgeball again and B.B. breaks his glasses he decides to sue her, and while he is at it he sues the Dodgeball Factory. When Sam makes up his mind to become his own lawyer, he puts every thing at stake in court. Can Phillip hold on to his lawsuit when a huge problem occurs?

I found this book a hilarious look into the life of a kid trying to fit in. This book had an excellent amount of detail all the way through. I think this book is great for its age level. Janice Repka is a great author and I look forward to reading more of her books.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8

Reviewer Age: 12

Reviewed by GH