Keeper by Kathi Appelt

Poor, poor Keeper! It's supposed to be a wonderful day: the blue moon will come out tonight, Dogie is going to ask Signe to marry him, Signe will make her blue moon gumbo, and Mr. Beauchamp's magic flowers are going to bloom! But when ten crabs spoke to Keeper, the whole day just went disastrously wrong. Going off the stories Signe told Keeper about her mother, Keeper ventures off with her dog named B.D. (Best Dog) and her seagull friend, Captain, to go find her mermaid mother at the sandbar. What will happen to Keeper, Captain, and B.D. on this crazy trip? Will Keeper ever find her mother and fix everything that went wrong, or will she find out everything is not what it seems?

Keeper, by Kathi Appelt, was a truly enchanting story. This book reminds me of me, of something I might do if told certain things. A strength of Keeper is always keeping the reader puzzled. It had me guessing what would happen next, and then amazed me by doing something totally different. One weakness it had was the skipping between characters. Most of the time I'm pretty good about realizing who is talking in the story or whose point of view the story is coming from, but in this book's case I was constantly confused about what was going on in the different story settings. I would recommend this book to kids who love mermaids and to kids between the ages of eight and twelve.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Fresno, California USA

The Squad: Perfect Cover by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This book is about Toby Kline. Who is that you might ask? She is a girl who does what she wants; from hacking computers to being a black belt karate student..she is the very last person you would ever expect to find on the cheerleading squad. Not only would they not want her in the squad, but she would not want to be close to them either. That is until she is invited to join the cheerleading squad for her high school. This is when Toby finds out that the cheerleaders of her school double as secret agents. Is Toby willing to become something she always hated in order to become an agent?

I do not think that the book was all that great. I was expecting the author to be more descriptive. Though the author was not descriptive, she was very good at talking as if she was a teen. This book is more of a leisurely read. The words the book used were very easy to read and understand. I would not recommend this book for others because it does not do a very good job in drawing a person's attention. If I had to recommend this book to anyone, I would for middle school cheerleaders because I think they would be able to relate well with the characters.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Newville, Pennsylvania, United States

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey is a novel about love, chemistry, and what lies in within a person. Of course no one can overlook the combination of Jekel and Hyde. But when good girl Jill and loner fighter Tristen join forces to uncover secrets in both of their lives, unexpected things start to occur. Jill's father is murdered right before the start of the book, and the secrets of his life, and death, force Jill to dig into his final months, and her family's past. Tristen, on the other hand, has dark secrets of his own that he is trying to hide, and an evil side he is trying to defeat. When Jekel and Hyde come together to win a chemistry competition, and base their project on the work of Dr. Jekyll, you know the results will be explosive. But through their project they discover things they never expected, and both of their lives are changed forever.

Going into this book, I expected a lot. Something based off of Jekyll and Hyde had to be amazing, which is partly why I chose the book. Unfortunately, I was let down. The book started off being amazing, and I could not put it down. But the more I read, the less fascinating it became. A minor issue I had was the awkward formalness of every conversation the high school students had. It was also really jumpy at some points. It alternated chapters between Jill and Tristen, but I was often left confused and wondering, usually for so long that at one point I could barely keep track of all that was happening. The author seemed to stuff five or six different plots into this one book, leaving it confusing, with twists and turns, some stories starting while others come to abrupt halts. It was just far too much, and I felt a little overwhelmed. It was a good idea for a story, but I was ultimately let down by it.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Minnetonka, Minnesota United States

Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Hendersen

Scarlett Wakefield thinks she will finally be able to put
Dan McAndrew's murder behind her and start fresh at
Wakefield Hall Collegiate that her grandmother runs and
will soon be hers. Everything is going her way with a new
boyfriend, new best friend, and nobody who knows about
what happened with McAndrew. But that is all ruined when
Plum Saybourne is transferred to Wakefield from Scarlett's
old school, and establishes her reign in no time.
Scarlett can handle Plum just fine until she targets
Taylor, her best friend, and Jase, her boyfriend. And
things can only get worse when Jase's dad is found dead on
campus. Could Jase be involved with the murder? Or is
Scarlett just bad luck like everybody says?

This book is incredible! It's kind of a cliff hanger ending, but not
the kind that stops in the middle of an exiting part, and
it's not the first book in this series, but everything is
really well explained. You could easily read just this
book and be satisfied, but yet there is a bit of mystery
that intrigues me to read the others in this series. You
can really get into the characters, and unless you are a
Nancy Drew prodigy, the ending isn't what you would
expect. Scarlett goes through a lot of different suspects
and with each one you thing Oh yea, they definitely did
it! but they didn't. So it was really interesting in
that way. I would say this book is like a Sarah Dessen
mystery book.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Gearhart, Oregon United States

Split by Swati Avasthi

In Split by Swati Avasthi, a sixteen year old boy named Jace is kicked out of his home by his abusive father leaving his mother alone with his father. He is forced to move in with his estranged brother Christian whom he hasn't seen or talked to in years. After moving in with Christian, Jace starts with a clean slate where no one knows his past. He comes to realize its not as easy as it looks and his past starts to haunt him. Jace has to come to terms with his father's faults so he can see it was never his own fault.

Split is one of those books with characters that you feel sorry for in the beginning but eventually fall in love with by the end. This book should be read by as many people as possible. It is an open window to domestic violence in the homes of those we are told to trust. While some of the passages were graphic, this was one of the better books that I have read in a long time. I was glad to see that after everything Christian and Jace were able to stay together and finally have a happy ending. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read with a little angst mixed in. Great Story!

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mantua, NJ USA

Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci

Scott, Cora, Rain, and Owen are typical teenagers, at least they were until two months ago when a terrorist group, called ShadowStrike, poisoned the water of their town. They now have a level four disease and are living in the kellerton mansion, trying to deal with their scary symptoms and haunting personal lives. They all hope for a cure, but even more they hope they can trust the people in care for their life.


Tyler Ping and Shahzad Hamdani are internet spies, they've taken on the illegal job of tracking members of ShadowStrike online. Only problem is no one will listen to them when they find out that ShadowStrike might not be as far away as everyone seem to believes. And their coming back.
 
Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci was a great sequel to Streams of Babel. I had not read the first one before this, but I still understood. Each page was filled with thought-provoking words, weaved in with suspense. Each chapter was terrifyingly realistic, every page raised goosebumps on my arms. It was entertaining yet filled with horror. I would think I had everything figured out, and then Plum-Ucci would throw in a horrifying twist. There was action, mystery, and even romance. I was engrossed with the book the whole time I was reading it. I would extremely recommend this book to a mature reader. A lot of the language, and sexual content was mature. I didn't approve of it, even though it did make the situation more believable.
 
Violence, sexual content, and mature language.
 
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Springtown, Texas United States

Phliberty-Jibbits by William Moore

This story, Phliberty-Jibbits, by William Moore is about a young girl named Ima Jean Snodgrass, who finds a little shop called Phliberty-Jibbits . Ima Jean makes new friends and learns anything is possible. Phliberty, who is the owner of the shop, goes on a daring rescue to find Jibbits. Ima Jean goes with him and tries to survive a lot of obstacles, and will Ima Jean rescue Jibbits and save Phliberty from losing the shop?


William Moore writes an adventure story filled with different feelings, like sad, excited, surprised and disappointed. This story was definitely a page turner and I could picture the setting when I close my eyes. Moore taught me a lesson that anything was possible. The author gave a lot of details and did a pretty good job wrapping up subplots. I would recommend this book to anyone who believes anything is possible and likes adventure.

Reviewer Age:9
Reviewer City, State and Country: Elkton, Maryland United States of America

Arson by Estevan Vega

    Have you ever dreamed of spontaneously combusting? If you have, Arson, by Estevan Vegas, is the book for you. Arson is a boy in his late teens who hides the terrible power of creating fire with his mind. His gift, or curse, killed his mother, and his grandmother, whom Arson is living with, hates him for it. The story begins when Emery, a girl that will not appear in public without her mask, moves in next door, and changes Arson's view of life.

    I would recommend this book to readers that like to go against the grain, as the book is not written in a straightforward manner, nor is it written with the same style as most other authors. Almost everything that happened was a surprise, and while some events were more logical than others, this helped keep the book interesting. Without the shockers every few pages, however, this book would have been quite boring. By not telling the story in its entirety, and leaving ends not tied up, I felt like a heavy fog had been placed in my head,rendering me unable to fully comprehend the plot and make connections to the text. The information Vegas gave was often not complete and out of order- which is an interesting style, but one that prevented my total enjoyment of the book.

    Having said my piece on Vegas' style, I want to congratulate him on excellent character development. Arson's grandmother was especially real to me, as was Emery, because they had such real feelings of loss and shame.

    Another admirable part of "Arson" was the setting development. By the time the book ended, I felt like I had lived in Arson's town my whole life. Arson and Emery, along with the other characters, visit so many important parts of the town and these places are described with a poetic detail that makes visualizing the scenes incredibly easy.
 
    I gave Arson a content rating of 2 because there was some inappropriate "stuff" that should be looked at by an adult before allowing young children/ teens to read the book.
 
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lederach, PA USA

The Letter Writer

The Letter Writer by Ann Rinaldi is a historical fiction novel. It takes place pre-Civil War, in 1831. The main character, eleven-year-old Harriet, writes letters for her blind stepmother. She feels left out with her strict stepbrother in charge and knowing she will never meet her real parents. This story takes you through the events and Harriet's decisions leading to and after the Nat Turner Slave Rebellion.

The Letter Writer is as good as the rest of Ann Rinaldi's books. It may start slow, but it is necessary to describe Harriet's life and "set the stage". The climax, although a bit gory, is as exciting as any novel. It was educational and taught me about the Nat Turner Slave Rebellion, while I had fun reading it. I could imagine the setting and relationship between Harriet and her "girl", Violet. The plot was believable. Overall, the book was educational, well-written, and interesting, but lost my attention at points.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

It starts out with the main character, Tommy, talking. He's explaining about how this freaky kid named Dwight, who goes to his school, can do origami. So one day Dwight makes an Origami Yoda. Not with directions off the internet, no he made up the pattern. Also when something exciting is happening Origami Yoda gives advise through Dwight. The thing is, it's really good advise. But Dwight is too stupid to have such good ideas. Isn't he? So Tommy sets out to find out; is Dwight actually smart or if the force is with us?

I thought that this book was a serious yet humorous story about a boy and his "quest" for the truth. If you read quickly it's a short read but something to occupy your time. If you are a slower reader then this will be a good book for you too. It's short as well as easy. It's got fun little doodles on some of the pages which just adds to the humor.


Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sandy, Oregon USA

My Double Life by Janette Rallison

The story Maestoso Petra is about a young colt that has a very exciting life. He goes to the Spanish riding school to learn how to get off his feet and to fly, he thinks of her mother because she taught him how to move and to speak to others. I like this book it has a lot of great details to it. Plus it would be great for kids under my age as well. One thing I dislike is that it could be a little longer.

The story Maestoso Petra is about a young colt that has a very exciting life. He goes to the Spanish riding school to learn how to get off his feet and to fly, he thinks of her mother because she taught him how to move and to speak to others. I like this book it has a lot of great details to it. Plus it would be great for kids under my age as well. One thing I dislike is that it could be a little longer.

2 because it has good details in it.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: hopkins, michigan allegan

Chaosbound by David Farland

When Fallion binds two worlds together, everything messes up. Borensen and Myrrima are called into battle again to save their once beautiful land. In the process, Borensen becomes merged with Aaath Ulber, a monstrous berserker warrior, and he gains strength and speed. The rulers of the new world begin to play an evil game. Unfortunately, Aaath Ulber/Borensen gets pulled into the spotlight to be a part of it.

Chaosbound is an exciting book that keeps you on your toes; one moment everything is going great,
then in the next, the world is falling apart. This is the eighth book in the Runelords series, and it's confusing in
the beginning if you haven't read the other books; there isn't enough information for new readers. I loved how
Farland described the family, it really painted a picture in my head. The book is action-packed, but I think it was a little rushed and short. I would also recommend this book for older readers, because there is some mature content. Overall, it was a good book, but not necessarily the best I've ever read.

Sexual content.
Rating:  6

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, FL USA

Orange Planet by Haruka Fukushima

My mommy and Daddy are dead. And today is my birthday. Says Scared little Rui. I'll give you something if you stop crying, I'll give you the brightest star up there. Weather its spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter& That star will always shine bright in the Northern sky, Says a mysterious kid to Little Rui. Now she's in junior high school and no matter how many days go by she'll never forget her mom and dad. Now that she's in junior high school, It's raining boys. She has a major boy problem, she is in love with a boy, but two others are in love with her! The boys names are: Taro Amanatsu who is her neighbor, Eisuke Tachibana whose apartment room caught fire and is now living with her, and we can't forget the one she loves Kaoru Nakamura. She is writing to a guy named Haru-san, who she met at the funeral of her mother and father, because he sent her a letter saying, If you get sad write a letter to Haru-san which was taped to a teddy bear. So since the day of her mother and fathers death she has been writing to Haru-san about her day and about the guys in her life.

In this book you will feel you are apart of the story, because her life is probably as crazy as a normal junior high school students', or maybe even crazier. But then in some parts you will be - wow is that really happening? I would really recommend this book to anyone who likes a good romance Manga every once in a while. There is also humor, and just plain out embarrassing things on every page. I really think the main purpose of this author writing this book is that what goes on in Rui's life can really be happening to junior high schoolers today. So anywhere in the world there is someone who has lived in the footsteps of Rui.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Casa, Arizona United States

Goose Chase by Patricia Kindl

Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl is an original fairy tale. It shares some elements with the stories The Wild Swans, by Hans Christian Anderson and perhaps also The Goose Girl by the Grimm Brothers, but on the whole is a new story. Alexandria Aurora Fortunato is an orphaned goose girl, whose only true companions are her twelve geese. She has been taken from her cottage and locked in a tower until she chooses to wed either King Claudio the Cruel or Prince Edmund of Dorloo. She faces this dilemma because she had been kind to an old lady, who gave her three gifts: that she would be as lovely as the dawn, that when she brushed her hair, gold dust would fall out of it, and that when she cried her tears would be diamonds. She does not wish to marry either of the men, King Claudio because he's cruel or the Prince because she believes him to be rather unintelligent, and because she suspects that King Claudio will kill the Prince if she chooses Edmund. Her geese help her escape the tower, and take her to a cottage inhabited by three ogresses. The prince comes after her and when they escape they take the ruby necklace promised by the ogresses for her services to them. Later they obtain a ruby ring, which along with the necklace, matches the crown which the old woman had created from the circle of roses she had been wearing when her gifts were bestowed. These jewels eventually allow her to reveal the true identity of her geese, and reclaim her own destiny.

I chose this book to review because I really like reading fairy tales and fairy tale remakes, and this one turned out to be really good. The author does a good job of putting together typical fairy tale elements such as romance, magic and concealed identities, and sends her heroine and hero on a quest that is only revealed after it s well under way. Many of the characters in this book were quite funny, such as the three ogresses, Lucinda, Nellie, and two-headed Tessa. Alexandria sometimes finds her gifts to be an annoyance, because they make it harder for her to go unnoticed, and when she wakes up, she has twenty-four carat dandruff. Alexandria's hair is fun to imagine, because not only does it give off gold dust, it has other magical powers that Alexandria can use as long as she speaks to it very nicely. I would recommend this book to fairy tale readers and fans of writers such as Gail Carson Levine and Shannon Hale.

Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA

Virginia by Susan Hughes

Ivy Morell is a typical teenager with a dysfunctional life. Her mother is an alcoholic, her father pretends not to notice, and the only friend she had who actually knew anything about her stopped talking to her years ago. However, when this friend, Virginia, starts calling Ivy once again, Ivy is thrown into a world of mystery and intrigue. Her friend thinks she has been chosen. She believes that the angel Gabriel has come for her and she is carrying a child of God. Ivy must look past Virginia, Virginia's strange family, and the herself to find out what is really going on.

This book was rather interesting because it was the exact opposite of what I expected. I wasn't expecting the mystery of the novel to be about a modern day Virgin Mary. The plot was very well lined up and I was intrigued the entire way through. However, there were parts where the book switched back and forth between different points of view and it took me a while to figure out who those points of view were. Overall, a well-written book full of mystery and an interesting plot from cover to cover.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, PA USA

Hot Issues: Cool Choices by Sandra McLeod Humphrey

Hot Issues Cool Choices is twenty-six stories designed to help children with problems of "facing bullies, peer pressure, popularity, and put-downs." It is set up that there is a story from a real child talking about a specific subject. The last line of the story is always "What do you think I should do," emphasizing the individual reader's opinion and choice. Immediately following the story are some questions asking children about things they would do in the situation. Then it flips the scenario around and asks what they would do if they were the other person. This book has won several awards and is very highly praised.

The very first thing written in this book hit me and made me think of this book in such a serious light. It said, "In memory of Tommy who took his own life at the age of twelve years, two months, and ten days." This shocked me that someone so young had taken their own life. As I read through this book, I found myself putting myself into all of the situations and assessing what I would have done; sometimes I liked the outcome, and sometimes I didn't. It changed the way I view a lot of things, especially bullying. This is a must-read for children of all ages and would be especially helpful if it was then discussed with a parent or a teacher. I loved the layout, I loved the illustrations included, I loved that there were statistics and references included, and I loved the message this book sent.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, PA USA

One In A Hundred Million by, Marion Urichich

Like all little boys, Marion Urichich got scrapes, bruises, and cuts all throughout his childhood. However, Marion's story differs from other little boys in extraordinary ways. "This guy has more lives than a cat!" the cover of "One in a Hundred Million" boasts, and it is not kidding! In speaking of just his childhood, Marion has part of his ear ripped off, a knot on the front of his head from a pool ball, and firecrackers in his ears. But Marion's almost unbelievable stories don't end there. For those who love true tales, taking a peek at Marion's autobiography would make your day.

I'm sure others might find this book very intriguing, I, however, had a hard time reading it. I didn't particularly enjoy the first chapter because it seemed like Marion spent the whole chapter telling readers that he wrote this book to share his stories and let others know how generous and big-hearted he was. However, if you look past the first chapter, the stories are interesting. It surprised me to find that Marion suffered awful injuries and hardly ever received medical care. Anyone who enjoys reading the unbelievable will probably enjoy this book as well.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas U.S.A.

Swim the fly by Don Calame

What do you get when you put together three typical teenage boys, a naughty summer goal, and the 100-yard butterfly? Definitely NOT what Matt Gratton expected. Then again, anything is possible during summer. Which Matt discovers only after too many embarrassing mishaps to count: the befriending of Kelly's close friend, Ulf's crazy, torturous swim training, and of course the loyal help of Matt's best friends.

This book was a peek into the male mind. Reading Matt's thoughts and feelings was refreshingly funny and sweet. This book drags you in, to do crazy dares and goof off with Matt and his friends. The author's writing style made for a relatable and hilarious read. Be prepared to laugh-out-loud 'till your stomach hurts. Each chapter in this book plays out like a scene in a comedy movie. This book is perfect for more mature readers who enjoy quick, entertaining reads. 

This book contained a lot of raunchy, sometimes crude humor.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Wailuku, HI United States

Powerless by Matthew Cody

Daniel Corrigan just moved to Nodle's Green, Pennsylvania and notices something strange. Soon, he figures out that his new friends have superpowers. One can fly, one is super strong, and another can turn invisible. These kids watch over the town and keep everyone safe. The only problem is that the superheroes are disappearing one by one because when they turn thirteen, their powers and any memories of them disappear. To find the villan that is stealing the powers of the kids of Noble's Green, everyone will have to work together and stop him once and for all.

This book is now one of my favorites! The author made me feel like I was actually there. I felt like I could relate to all of the characters in some way. I also liked how the author described eveything in great detail so you knew exactly what was going on. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good adventure or mystery.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Enon, OH USA

Invisible Girl by Mary Hanlon Stone

A poor Bostonian girl (Stephanie) is abused by her mother and then abandoned. Her father tries his best to care for her but it is too painful because she reminds him of her mother. He thinks it's best for her to send her to California. But when Stephanie gets caught up in the lies she made to impress her new friends, everything goes wrong. She learns it's best to tell the truth if you want to know who your true friends are.

I think this book is well written from the view of a teenage girl. You can feel the pain of the character Stephanie when she is abused by her mother or when someone makes fun of her. The writing is heartfelt. When she felt something, I could feel it. The description of the feelings make you feel as though you are the girl who is being abused.

Content Rating: 1

Rating: 9

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, MA USA

The Resurrection Fields by Brian Keaney

Someone's building a bridge. This bridge could ruin the lives of people everywhere: a bridge to the Resurrection Fields. When young Damien is possessed by a dark and evil magic, he manages to escape by possessing a bird and learning all the secrets of the power Orabas. Orabas is building the bridge to the Resurrection Fields, which is the only sacred place for the dead to be reborn. Meanwhile, Damien's friend Bea has been attacked and is now one of the only people who can save the villages. Damien must befriend the birds and figure out how to save Bea and the world before time runs out. Can he do it?

I liked the book The Resurrection Fields by Brian Keaney, however I did find it very confusing and dull, because I hadn't read the first two books. Everyone who reads this book MUST read the first two; otherwise the whole point of this story is a blur. However, the plot had an interesting storyline. Many parts were violent or frightening that would scare many children, but the literature was an extremely short and easy read. I recommend this series to anyone over 12 who needs an easy read on a rainy day.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States

A Stone In My Hand by Cathryn Clinton

After her father's disappearance, young Malaak is perched on the roof of her dingy home in Gaza, waiting for him to come home. Little does she know, however, that has been the target of terrorist bombings, and will never return again. As the days go by, her beloved brother Hamid is getting involved in a very violent terrorist Palestinian group that is threatening Israeli soldiers and threatening his life. More and more casualties are suffered, and all that Malaak seems to be able to hold on to is her pigeon, Abdo, and Hamid's poems. Can she save her brother and all of Palestine? Will the work of one girl be able to help and revive a whole nation?

A Stone in My Hand by Cathryn Clinton is very interesting and deep. I was thoroughly haunted by the story of young Malaak and all of the troubles she has faced as a girl living in Gaza with deep restrictions forced unto the Palestinian people. The characters came to life, and I could really sense all of the emotion that sweeps through Malaak's heart as she struggles to keep her family together and to keep her sanity. I recommend this to everyone who feels they can truly understand Malaak's struggle and faith as she goes through this terrible time. A Stone in my Hand is very moving and thoughtful - I will never be able to think of Gaza or Palestine again without thinking of Malaak; the world is not at peace.

Some very frightening, graphic, and disturbing scenes that younger readers may not understand. Mainly age 12 and up.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Osseo, Wisconsin United States

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary by Jeff Kinney

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary was an interesting book to read because it gave facts about the making of the movie. The Wimpy kid books are a series of events that take place with the character Greg Heffley. Greg gets in trouble all the time for messing with his younger brother. Other adventures include his older brother Rodrick. The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary gave me insight to behind the scenes of the making of the movie and how the original series was used.
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary was a nonfiction book that showed how scenes from the author's original series was used to create a movie. I thought it was a very good book but I didn't enjoy it as much as the actual series. The books in the series are funnier. I recommend this book to young readers.

Reviewer Age:9
Reviewer City, State and Country: Glenwood, Arkansas US

The Book of the Maidservant by Rebecca Barnhouse

The Book of the Maidservant is about a young lady who is a
servant. She is sent to another country, but she can't
speak the native language, while her master can. When her
master leaves her behind, she has to find some way to
communicate with the people around her. Readers follow
her on her journey to figure out the language of the
country.

This was a great book, it was interesting and
kept me reading to the end. You learn about friendship
and loyalty, and also about medieval life. This book is
wise and funny, and filled with excitement to the very
end. I would recommend this book for everyone. If you
don't read it, you are missing out.
1

8

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida USA

30 Days to Finding and Keeping Sassy Sidekicks and BFFs by Clea Hantman

Life without friends would be boring, right? Right. That's where this book comes into play. "30 Days to Finding and Keeping Sassy Sidekicks and BFFs" will help make new friends and keep your old ones. Friendships don't happen instantly; they all take time. This book will help you to recognize good friends and bad friends, as well as help you through rough spots in your friendships. It also has fun crafts and activities to do with your current or future friends to help make your relationships stronger and get to know each other better.

This book was an interesting read. I found the activities and information within the book helpful and it helped me to reevaluate the people that I am currently hanging out with. The book also gave me ideas to do with my friends. I would recommend this book to any girl, even if they already have friends. It never hurts to try something new!

Reviewer Age:14

Reviewer City, State and Country: Brownsburg, Indiana United States of America

TIGER MOON

In this Indian fairytale like novel, a young newlywed,
Raka, waits in fear of being killed by her husband. To
pass the time, she spends time with her sole friend Lalit
by telling him a story.

Thief and all-around bad guy Farhad Kamal has been
targeted by the Hindu God Krishna to rescue his daughter
who was kidnapped by a demon. Farhad has been given the
cycle of one moon to find the princess. Only given a few
riddles, Farhad enlists the help from the white tiger
Nitish and decides to go ahead with the dangerous task.
He knows that there are dangers everywhere he goes, but
Nitish and Farhad rely on each other to get through them
and an unlikely friendship begins to grow between the two.

As a lover of fairy tales, this novel caught my
attention immediately. I've never read a tale centered in
India, so I loved that aspect of it. Everything about
this story was amazing, from the characters to the plot
and the writing style. The themes in the novel also left
an impression, such as the importance of friendship. The
historical aspects were interesting as well. Once I
started this, I couldn't put it down. I would recommend
this novel to readers of young adult fiction, and
especially all lovers of fairy tales.

Reviewer
Age:23

Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia,
PA USA

A Cousin's Challenge by Wanda E. Brunstetter

A van accident two years prior to the beginning of the story leaves Jolene Yolder without her hearing. She is living with her aunt and uncle to learn total communication when she gets a call from the Amish community that she grew up in and where her family and friends live. Two deaf children have moved into the community, and the community wants Jolene to come and teach them total communication since she was a teacher before the accident. When she moves back, she tries to teach the whole community the art of signing, so that it is easier for her to communicate with everyone. Within a few weeks, Lonnie Hershberger also gets into a serious accident and loses his hearing. Jolene tries to reach out to him and help him through his grief and pain. With the new addition of signing, love starts to blossom in the Amish communities as friends come together to support each other.

Do read this book. The setting is in an Amish community and while that is not the usual setting for most books, Wanda E. Brunstetter makes it work well. She uses phrases that the people in the community say that are not familiar to us but they help to immerse us in the reading. The characters were interesting and complex, and they were the reason that made me keep turning the page to find out what was going to happen next. The characters stories were intertwined in some way that made them interesting. The writing was effective and it was not too dull. The ending was good, it was not too abrupt and it told me what i wanted to know about the characters. I would recommend this book. It was interesting and a fun read.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Pittsburgh , PA United States

Noodle Pie

I just read the book Noodle Pie by Ruth Starke. This book is about a 12 year old boy named Andrew Nguyen, Andy for short, going to Vietnam for the first time with his father, who hasn’t seen Vietnam since he escaped as a refugee from a back then communist Vietnam to Australia. Now his father is going back, and is taking Andy with him. Right from the start, Andy realizes this is going to be no ordinary trip where the only thing to look forward to is jetlag and visiting relatives. What happens in this piece of realistic fiction, you might ask? Read Noodle Pie to find out.

Noodle Pie was a very interesting book. I found the description of the setting to be very vivid and descriptive, and I felt as if I were really in Vietnam with reckless drivers and polluted air. The book contains a humorous and yet serious tone. The book is funny because it is from an 11 year old boy’s point of view. However, the author also pinpoints the fact that there are thousands of street kids in Vietnam today. This brings a touch of seriousness to the book, but does not kill the humor in this book. I believe that the characters could be real because they act like any other kids would if they were in that situation. I think the way I felt about the characters really affected how much I liked the book. The author has a humorous yet serious tone. In this book, lack of detail was non-existent. The author left me hanging at the end, and I was left wondering about the main character’s adventures that started at the very end of the book. In conclusion, this is what I thought about the book Noodle Pie.

Content: 1
Rating: 6
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Braintree, Massachusetts United States of America

My Double Life by Janette Rallison

Ever since she could remember, Alexia has been compared to Kari Kingsley, the pop star sensation. Their appearances are uncannily similar. And Kari begins to take notice. Alexia gets a picture of herself posted on the internet, which comes to the attention of the pop star, who asks Alexia to become her double. As a double, she'd pose for pictures at events, sign autographs, and lip synch at some small concerts, all so Kari could focus on her newest album. In a sudden rebellious decision, Alexia leaves the comfort of her small, West Virginia town to become a body double for one of the most famous singers in the world. However, once she gets there, she realizes that her fame isn't all it's cracked up to be. What does she do when faced with not one, not two, but three shocking realizations?

This book was simply amazing. I have read several of Janette Rallison's books before and this was definitely the best one. Her portrayal of Alexia had so much depth to it, as did her portrayal of Kari, a seemingly one-dimensional, shallow pop star. The twists keep you occupied because they just keep on coming and you never know what to expect. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, as it was just extremely enjoyable to read and had me sucked in from the very first page.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Westerville, OH United States

The Secret Satrudays by Elizabeth Hurchalla

The Secret Saturdays The Kur Stone Volume 1 Part 1 is a mildly funny action graphic novel. The story is about part 1 of the search for Kur, the most powerful criptid on earth. Criptids are all the strange, exotic creatures that regular science doesn't believe in. The Kur Stone is needed to find Kur. To prevent the villian V. V. Argost from having all 3 pieces of the Kur Stone, the Saturdays need to retrieve the piece of the Kur Stone they had previously hidden. One of the reasons that the book is so short is that 6 out of 100 pages are just introduction to the characters.

I thought the book was way, way too short. If you aren't going to read the whole series, don't read this book because it ends in a cliffhanger and the entire book is mostly just an introduction. The introduction takes up too much of the book and the action is crammed into the end. I think it should have had more of a plot. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it was unsatisfying.

Unsatisfying because too little action and too much introduction.

Reviewer Age:10
Reviewer City, State and Country: Sammamish, WA USA

Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Kristi Carmichael is a sophomore in high school, just trying to get by each day. Her best friend has abandoned her for the popular crowd, her mother is a work-a-holic, her father disappeared two years ago, and then there's the new guy... Mallory seems nice enough, but Kristi's feelings for Gusty Peterson, her ex-BFFs older brother, are getting stronger. On top of all this Kristi can read minds. When Kristi gets assigned to work with Gusty on a school project, everything about Kristi's life changes. She realizes her "powers" may not be what she suspected and she's faced with a lot of tough decisions.

Vibes was definitely not what I was expecting. Kristi was a great main character that kept me glued to the pages. Her witty, but deep, narration made her one of the most unique characters I've ever read about in a YA novel. She was someone I would have loved to know in real life. Not only was Kristi a fantastic character, but I enjoyed many of the minor characters as well. Gusty, Mallory, Jacob, her mother, Aunt Ann... they all had a great place in this heartwarming debut. The plot was original and realistic even though I couldn't connect with a lot of the things Kristi was going through. Readers will feel for Kristi and go on the wild ride of her life all the way until the end. Kristi matures a lot by the end of Vibes and really discovers who she is. The writing style was fantastic, and the descriptions sucked me right into the novel. I can't wait to read Ryan's next book!

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Hightstown, New Jersey USA

Bakugan: Battle Brawlers by, Elizabeth Hurchalla

In this book Dan, one of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers, battles a kid named Shuji. After he beats Shuji he goes home and talks to his friends over the internet. The next morning he wakes up and goes to the park, but Shuji shows up again and challenges Dan to a rematch. In the middle of the battle Dan has a vision of two Bakugan he has never seen before battling. Then he uses an ability card to bring them to the battle. Afterwards he goes home and tells his friends how he thought he heard his Bakugan talk and how there might be more to the Bakugan game than they think.

My opinion of the book was that the author did a very good job of keeping to the episode it was based on. However there were a few mistakes. One of those mistakes was switching the names of some of the Bakugan. Besides a few mistakes the book was very good. I hope you all get a chance to read this wonderful book.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas The United States of America

The Debs by Susan McBride

This book is about these girls who work hard to get
what they want. Their names are Laura Bell, Mac Mackenzie,
and Ginger Fore, who have dreamed of becoming a debutante
(deb) ever since they were little girls. Laura is a little
overweight, but that doesn't stop her from attracting a
hot jock named Avery, making her rivals fiery with
jealously. Ginger falls in love with this older, college
guy named Javier, which almost lands her in jail. Mac on
the other hand, is the calmest out of the three. She
doesn't really want to be a deb, but will do whatever it
takes to make her friends happy. But the three girls have
some competition on their hands, Jo-Lynn Bidwell and her
posse, Camie and Trisha, who will do anything- I mean
anything- to keep Laura and her friends out of the Class
Slipper Club. Scandal, Lies, Secrets and much more lies
ahead.

The book was very interesting and made me want
to know what happened next. It gave great detail about
the characters and made me feel as if I knew them in
person. One thing I had to get used to at first was that
each chapter was about a different character and their
actions, but it all blended well together. I would
recommend this book to any girl in high school because
this book contains what most girls go through in high
school, such as making the wrong friends, dealing with boys,
backstabbing, and heartache. I would definitely like to see
a Part 2 of this book, and see what else Jo-Lynn has in
store for the girls.

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer
City, State and Country: Cumming, Georgia United States

Noonie's Masterpiece

"Noonie's Masterpiece " by Lisa Railsback is about a ten year old artist who is under-appreciated. She is confident that she is talented, but not everyone seems to agree with her. Her mother is dead, and her father is constantly away on archaeological trips; so, she lives with her aunt, uncle, and cousin, all of whom are facetiously eclectic. She enters an art contest, talks about school, and comes to realize what is really important to her in the end.

The book’s illustrations by Sarajo Frieden are of high quality. The pages themselves have decorations and color; even the text has color. The plot itself isn't too intense, but this book is meant for the grammar school age, anyway. While it is great that a girl pursues her art dreams, it is a bit disappointing that she is noted as disliking math. Overall, this book is a nice bridge for young ones, and one that will prepare them for chapter books.

Reviewer Age:18
Reviewer City, State and Country: Troy, NY 12180

Revenge Fires Back by JR Thompson

I think this book is a mystery and adventure. This is a book about a family and the things most families go through. This family has been through a lot of hard times. This book, Revenge Fires Back, will remind a lot of people about the old days and how it was when they were kids. It gets you back to that happy time in life. You find yourself caught in the book, and soon its all you can think about. I really fell for this book, and I think whoever reads this is in for a good read. You're not going to want to take your eyes off of this good read!

I think this is a really good author. When I got my book, it was personally signed by him! It was amazing to see, which made the book even better to me to read. Once you read this, you can really tell that this author puts a lot of thought into his work. What he wrote about was truly delightful, but it's also sad because it talks about things that some people don't think about, but they're things that are really happening out in the world. This book will rip at your heart and make you ache to read more. I think JR Thompson really did achieve his purpose and that he worked really hard on this book. It was all worth it. I found it very moving and interesting. I wanted to read more to see what was going to happen next and see what else he wrote about in the book to make it connect with the rest of the story. I recommend this to anyone who gets that feeling in their hearts when they read a heart ripping story and a beautiful tale.

Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas USA

Flight of the Renshai by Mickey Zucker Reichert

The Flight of the Renshai is a story of three brothers on a journey to find their place. Their tribe,the Renshai, are a tribe dedicated to the sword. Long ago they were exiled from the Northlands; the tribe had settled in Bearn working for the King as apart of his army. Now spies from the North have succeeded in the banishment of the Renshai yet again. And all the while a fleet of pirates are on the verge of destroying all of Bearn.

In the middle of all this is three brothers: Calistan, Saviar, and Subikahn. One is a brillantswordsman who is traveling to the North to kill the man who murdered his mother. One is struggling with who he is and his parents seperate heritages. One is struggling with his sexuality and who his father wants him to be.

And the pirates are drawning nearer; an epic battle awaits the people of Bearn,who will need the Renshai to survive. In the end it takes the Renshai and the Northmen coming together along with the Bearn to defeat the marauders. Calistan discovers that vengence is not the answer. Saviar learns that a man can live happily honoring both of his heritages. And Subikahn finally accepts who he truly is and also gains his father's acceptance.

My opinion of this book is that it is very complicated. I had a hard time getting into the story itself. It has several plots that are happening at the same time and it was difficult for me to follow. I did enjoy reading about the struggles that each brother went through on there own journies, but it wasn't enough to hold my attention. I feel that maybe this book was meant for someone older then my twelve.

This book deals with homosexuality

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas USA

Dirty Little Secrets - C.J. Omololu

Can you imagine living in a dumpster? This is what life is
like for Lucy. With her mom's obsession of keeping useless
stuff and shoving it futher into her trash-compacted
house, Lucy has never been able to have friends in her
home. But things are turning around for Lucy. Her long-
time crush finally wants to date her and she is making the
popular girls envy her. But one day she comes home to find
her life completely turned around. How will she live a
normal life? You'll have to read the book to learn
her "Dirty little secret".

In my opinion, this book is crawling with mystery, horror, and sorrow. I found myself crying for Lucy as she struggled with her temperamental
mother. I never met a dull moment in this book. Secrets are a part of everyone's life, but Lucy possesses a secret that could never be matched. I also felt like I was in the cramped house, crying with Lucy. I could read this book over and over and never tire of it. C.J. Omololu has
created one of my favorite books.

It's scary.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country: Panama City, Florida United States

The Family Greene by Ann Rinaldi

The Family Greene, by Ann Rinaldi, is a post-Revolutionary War book about the family of a well-known general who served second in command to George Washington. The two main characters are Caty Littlefield Greene and her daughter, Cornelia, whose stories are told in the two parts of the books. The book begins with Caty as she ventures out of her small world and into an exciting new life with her aunt, and then moves on to Cornelia, who is confused and upset after being confronted with the realization that she might not be her father's child. Throughout the book, Cornelia seeks to find the truth about her parentage while her mother, Caty, deals with struggles of her own. Readers will be captivated by this historical fiction account of two women's struggles to find a place in their family.

This book, while not my favorite by this author, was an interesting read. I enjoyed getting to know the two main characters, whose likeable personalities made me want to keep reading. The setting did not serve to spark my imagination, but I was still interested in the characters' surroundings. I thought the relationships between the characters were strong and believable, but I was left wanting a little more action besides what they did in their everyday lives. In my opinion, the quality of writing was the same as other books by this author, but the plot was a little lacking. I liked the ending, and I also enjoyed learning about the real family, the Greenes, who this book was based on. I would recommend The Family Greene to all historical fiction lovers, or anyone else who enjoys a story with strong female characters.

Reviewer Age:13

Reviewer City, State and Country: Bayside, WI U.S.

Shadowglass by Erica Hayes

In the dark fairyworld of the Shadowfae, hidden in the human world, Ice is just one fairy trying to survive the violence and catastrophe that surrounds her. The fairies are obsessed with clubbing, sparklies, and sex. Ice lusts after the hot metalfare, Indigo, a dangerous thief with a secret. When he turns her down, yet again, she throws herself into the arms of the demonlord, Kane. After a sultry night at his apartment, she leaves and steals a shiny mirror from his coat pocket. Soon, she and her friends begin to hear whispers after they looked in the mirror. The mirror shows Ice her counter-self, and it scares her deeply.

This dark and sultry novel kept my attention all the way through to the end. The storyline was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat constantly wondering if the characters would figure out the mystery behind the mirror. The author made an exciting mix of romance, action, and psychology into this one novel. Although the storyline was intriguing, I was somewhat disgusted by the amount of sex scenes in the book. It seemed as though one was happening every other page. At the beginning of the book, I was reminded of Tithe by Holly Black because of the genre. However, Tithe is a more PG-13 alternative to the rated R Shadowglass.

Sex scenes

Reviewer Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Shippensburg, PA USA

Think Again by JonArno Lawson

Think Again makes you do just that (think again). Filled with short four-lined poems, this book keeps the mind intrigued while trying to guess at the deeper meaning in each one. The sometimes-puzzling poems get you thinking about the meaning of every word and are most enjoyable to read. Most of the lovely little poems are about mysterious young love and are very realistic. Every poem portrayed a unique mood, which kept the book interesting and guessing at what would come next. Each page has a cute well-drawn illustration that incorporates well with the poem. The author did a good job at using interesting words in every line to get the most appeal out of each poem.

I enjoyed reading Think Again and it was nice to pick up and read when I had a few extra minutes throughout the day. It was very convenient to read because it presented many different opportunities/places to stop at since it had a new poem on every page. I thought the poems were cute and pretty creative and the author did a good job at writing it. One thing I didn't like, however, was the shortness of the book. It didn't take very long to read and I was disappointed when I came to the end. I think Think Again would be great to take to the beach or just read before going to bed. It made me light-hearted and I got a few good laughs from this quirky book of four-lined poetry written by JonArno Lawson.

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Upper Strasburg, PA USA

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

The novel Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready features a relatively normal girl named Aura, who has the ability to see and speak to ghosts, like everyone else born after the mysterious Shift. She lives with her Aunt, Gina, since her father is missing and her mother is deceased. On her boyfriend Logan’s birthday, due to excessive alcohol and drug consumption Logan dies during the after-party, which is supposed to celebrate his band’s success at a performance. However, Logan sticks aroundas a ghost. Aura becomes confused as her relationship with Logan continues, especially after meeting the peculiar Scottish Zachary, who has quite a lot of convoluted secrets. He helps Aura with her thesis, which involves Stonehenge, Newgrange, stars, and her deceased mother. Aura learns some surprising secrets about both Zachary as well as her mother.

Shade was a decently written novel with a mildly interesting plot and characters. It seems as if pretty much as if all of the supernatural beings, such as ghosts, werewolves, and vampires, have pretty much been written to death, but that does not stop even more from continuing to be published. While Shade had some unique characteristics, such as using obsidian and the color red to ward away ghosts, for the most part, the story-line and setting were not especially unique. I was intrigued by the strong and willful character of Aura, who kept going, even after her mother and boyfriend died and her father disappeared. Shade was a decent read, but it was definitely not a masterpiece.

Alcohol and drugs were part of the plot.

Reviewer Age:17

Reviewer City, State and Country: Charleston, SC USA

The Adventures of Jack Lime by James Leck

In this wonderfully written little novel by James Leek, the illustrious character of Jack Lime, self proclaimed private eye, is out to tackle his high school's biggest mysteries, from vanishing bikes to hamster hostages to missing brainiacs. There is no shortage of modern adventure or intrigue as our cool and confident protagonist Jack wanders about getting into all sorts of sticky situations. The book stands as a new sort of mystery novel, giving a youthful, fun take on the classic whodunit genre, throwing in just enough teenage romance and cliches to keep it light and fun. A short and sweet book that combines a mix of cleverly crafted characters and witty escapades, The Adventures of Jack Lime radiates mirth and mayhem.

"The Adventures of Jack Lime" uses convivial details to add to a solid, enjoyable plot. Leck uses his characters to add great panache to the tale, cleverly supplying the main character Jack with catchy sayings and endearing quirks. The book doesn't aim to be thoroughly thought-provoking, and instead intends to entertain and amuse readers, something it does well in its concise 126 pages. Written entirely in the first person, the book continually involves readers although it does not flow as one long tale. The book begins in the middle of the action and ends with the proper back story into Jack Lime's P.I career, but this backwards way of story-telling manages to work with Leck's atypical flare. The book goes down like a chilled glass of lemonade in the summer: tangy, refreshing, and just what you need to kick back and relax with. A nice read for middle and high school students, The Adventures of Jack Lime proves an easy yet highly entertaining novel that will keep you grinning with every page.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: South Pasadena, CA U.S.A

Birth Marked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Gaia Stone lives in a future world where she is a midwife alongside her mother. Gaia's world is divided in two, those who live inside the walls of the Enclave and those outside. Gaia is on the outside. Gaia serves the Enclave, as many do. Every month, the first three babies she delivers are brought to live inside the Enclave. When Gaia's parents are arrested for things Gaia believes they never did, she begins to question all she knows. Is life inside the Enclave really all its made out to be? Gaia has a choice, sneak into the Enclave and find her parents or live the rest of her life asking questions with no answers. Join Gaia as she learns the truth about herself, her parents, and the Enclave.

Birth Marked by Caragh M. O'Brien was a good book. Birth Marked is a little bit creepy because it takes place in the future and could possibly, but hopefully not, happen. The creepiness is part of what makes this book so good. The science in this book is about DNA. The scientists in the book have to check people's DNA to make sure no siblings marry each other. There were a few slow parts in the middle but other than that it was very interesting. O'Brien's writing style reminded me of Margaret Peterson Haddix's Among the Hidden books. I enjoyed both of these authors so if you like the Among the Hidden series, you will probably like Birth Marked. Overall, Birth Marked was a very interesting and captivating book.

This book is fine for young adults, but, since the main character is a midwife, there is a lot about giving birth in it.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Harleysville, PA USA

Worldshaker by, Richard Harland

Filthies are nasty. Filthies are dumb. Filthies aren't human. This is what Colbert Porpentine has grown up learning. But after a midnight visit from a Filthie, Col learns that he may have been lied to his whole life. As Colbert becomes more involved with the Filthie girl, Riff, his eyes are opened to the horrible injustice occurring on "Worldshaker," the juggernaut that Col and his family and many others live on. A revolution is rising. Relatives aren't what they seem, and Colbert Porpentine just might be in the middle of it.

This book was one of the best that I have read in a long time. It had a revolution, surprises, twists, turns, and just a little bit of romance. I kept turning page after page as fast as I could to get to the end. The author describes the juggernaut where the characters live with such vivid details that I think I might could navigate the structure! The part of this steampunk story that I liked the best, though, was when Colbert, the main character, realizes exactly what kind of person his grandmother and grandfather are. Let's just say nothing in this story is what you'll expect, but everything fits. ANYONE who gives this book a chance will love it. Guaranteed!

Reviewer Age:16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX U.S.A.

The Gates by John Connolly

The book, The Gates by John Connolly,is a fantasy book
about a young boy, Samuel Johnson, and his dog, Boswell.
Not meant to necessarily be comic reading, the author
weaves the story with a funny twist, so as to render a
laugh or two in the process. Here is the plot of the
story. Samuel and his friends (and dog) happen to stumble
upon some strange activities going on at a neighbor's
house, just a few days before Halloween. The neighbors,
the Abernathys, while tinkering around with some
recreational devil-worshiping, just so happen to
mistakenly call forth Satan who ventures through a pair of
very large gates - the "gates" of Hell. It is then up to
Samuel and his friends to save the world from Satan and
his often funny demons by closing the gates before Satan
takes over the planet. The adults in his world don't
believe that the gates exist and that makes it harder than
ever to fight the battle.

Overall, I really liked this
book. I felt like the author brought me into the plot and
I could actually see myself as one of Samuel's friends,
running around with him and trying to save the planet.
I'm also a dog lover, so I easily identified with Boswell
and his keen senses and intelligence. As a follower of
many fantasy books, this one held my interest throughout
the entire story. There was enough of everything - scary
parts but not too scary, funny scenes, scientific
information (which I can identify with, too, since I am
interested in all types of science and experiments), and a
good, follow-along and kid-friendly story. I couldn't put
the book down for too long because I kept wanting to see
what would happen next. The characters were all developed
well and I could easily follow who did what and when. My
favorite characters were some of the demons. The story
flowed nicely and it wasn't too confusing like some books
can be. This book was probably one of my favorite to
review ever.

Reviewer Age:14
Towson, Maryland U.S.

Conspiracy 365: February by Gabrielle Lord

On December 31st Callum Ormond was told by a stranger to stay in hiding for 365 days, and that it had something to do with his father's mysterious death. After being framed for a crime Cal didn't commit, he's one of the most wanted teenage fugitives. Now its February and not only are the police after him but two dangerous gangs and worst of all he has no clue why. Relying on his best friend Boges, Cal must get to the bottom of what his father involved in, but who should he trust?

Since I read the first book I've been itching to read this one, and it lived up to my expectations. February's book went by really fast, but was still written very well and was overflowing with action and excitement. Even though I felt frustrated at the cliff hanger ending I still really applauded it. Before delving into this story, though, I recommend finding out how it all beganin Conspiracy 365: January. Ages 12 up.

Reviewer Age:15
Reviewer City, State and Country: , New Mexico USA

Lawn Boy Returns By, Gary Paulsen

In this book Lawn Boy continues his lawn business. Then a shady character named Zed shows up. After that Joey Pow, the boxer Lawn Boy sponsors, wins a fight he wasn't supposed to and then they have to fight off these guys who plan to really mess things up. So once they stop them Zed steals lots of food from Lawn Boy's house and leaves. After all of this Lawn Boy decides to move up north and quit the lawn business. Then the story is set-up so that there can be a sequel and the story is over.

I like how in this book it flows very smoothly from the last. I like how his friends come back and they help him out. I like the new character Zed. I really like the ending how Lawn Boy moves up north and gets an ice-cream maker. It sets the book up for another sequel.

Reviewer Age:12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas United States

The Book of Samuel by Erik Raschke

The Book of Samuel is about a twelve-year-old boy named Samuel. He lives a normal life with his two parents and his grandmother. He was a happy teenage boy, hanging with his friends, jumping at the ramps, and doing whatever it is that teenage boys do. Until his father goes out on a mission to preach to the world. After his fathers departure, Samuel not only does some crazy things, such as; blow up his friends garage, make-out with the hottest girl in school, and gets in some terrifying fights with a girl at school, but he also learns a lot about himself. Through it all Samuel makes some important decisions and grows in the process.



In my opinion this book was ok. It was definitely not my favorite book I have ever read, but it was probably the most interesting. Some of the things that I didn't like about The Book of Samuel would be, the plot. There really was nothing for me to hold onto in that area. I couldn't exactly get into the book when the main idea of the story was a mystery to me.
In The Book of Samuel there is some very questionable content. Some may not be very suitable for younger children. Such as graphic fight scenes, racism, and some foul language.
Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas United States

Green Dragon Codex by R.D. Henham

To ten-year-old Scamp Weaver, an old mahogany chest is just too incredible to keep whatever secrets it holds inside. Especially when he finds it by a dead dragon! When Scamp brings it home to open the chest with his older brother, Mather, and his best friend, Dannika, they discover that the chest contains an odd stone and a mysterious tablet. But before they can even wonder what these items might be, they are attacked by dragonslayers who come to take the strange objects for themselves. Forced to flee, the trio begins a journey to save their lives and possibly many others. Soon they find what they contents of the chest are from a stranger as a green dragon hatches from the stone.   

I very thoroughly enjoyed the Green Dragon Codex. The harrowing tale of a boy who stumbles upon a dragon egg was very intriguing. I think many would love this book for its surplus of high adventure and suspense.  Its fast-paced action and nerve-racking mystery really kept my attention. Of course, this is my opinion. So pick up this book and decide if you can handle the story. 

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, Texas America

Swoon at your own risk

Polly Martin has quite the dating history, and along with each ex (or in Polly's

case ex-ex-ex-ex) a club she took up to be with them. Her latest ex, Sawyer,

got her roped into working at Wild Waves Western-themed water park. Now

Polly has sworn off guys, there's new temptations in the form of a once fourth

grade desk-licker turned cute mysterious skateboarder. Thank goodness her

advice columnist grandmother, Miss Swoon, is moving in! But will Polly be able

to learn to love and be herself? Only summer will tell.

While reading, 'Swoon

At Your Own Risk', I was found sitting in a room, by myself, literally laughing out

loud! I thought Sydney Salter did a wonderful job capturing the essence of a

hectic teenager's life. She was able to include many components young girls deal

with, such as a family's messy divorce, embarrassing swimming pool moments,

emotional breakdowns, and soul searching. I liked how the author was able to

create such a realistic world in 'Swoon At Your Own Risk'. This book was very

entertaining and I can easily see myself reading it again because it was so

enjoyable. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, or rather, funny

romantic comedy.

Mature content and innudendos
Reviewer

Age:16

Reviewer City, State and Country: Seaside, OR US