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