Title: The Year of the Rat
Author: Grace Lin
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Sidd
This book is a sequel to the book The Year of the Dog. Once again, it is written and illustrated by Grace Lin. In this book, the main character Pacy must deal with many frustrations. They are, such as, the possibility of Melody moving away, painstakingly trying to find her true talent, and learn that change can actually be a wonderful thing.
Written as if the person is on a day-to-day basis, this book is perfect all readers. It also has many interesting illustrations. Be sure to check those out. Singularity and happiness fill the pages of this book from beginning to the end.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Title: Al Capone Does My Shirts
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Patrick
This book is the story of Moose Flanagan, Alcatraz Island Boy. If you have never heard of Alcatraz Island, it was a twelve-acre rock covered with cement that housed a prison off the shore of San Francisco, California. It was open during the 1934 and closed in 1964. Moose moved there with his family. His dad was one of the prison guards. Alcatraz or “Devil’s Island” had convicts that are the kind other prisons didn’t want. The worst of the worst, they said it was a prison no one could escape from. Moose had a sister named Natalie that needed a special school, the Esther P. Marinoff School. It was for kids like Natalie that needed extra help. She had autism which no one knew a lot about back then. The story was set in 1935 right after the prison opened.
The story was about how 23 kids lived among the worst convicted prisoners and how strange friendships can evolve. Moose liked baseball and all the things regular kids liked. He had to move away from all his friends for his sister. One of the most famous prisoners was Al Capone, a dangerous gangster from Chicago. The title of the book comes from the fact that Al Capone worked in the prison laundry! Piper, one of Moose’s’ new friends had a scheme to make money by having extra shirts washed in the prison laundry and people would pay to have Al Capone wash their shirts. Until the warden, Piper’s father, found out…. You have to read the book to find out how Al Capone helped Moose, his sister and his family.
This book tells how you can make unusual friends and I would recommend it. It is a book that has a real story and you can make sense of the plot. It is fiction but I believe that it could have really happened. I would have liked to go to have a tour of the prison even though it has been closed for years. That makes the story seem so real. Sometimes you have to put your family first and I liked how Moose was able to make the best of that type of situation.
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Patrick
This book is the story of Moose Flanagan, Alcatraz Island Boy. If you have never heard of Alcatraz Island, it was a twelve-acre rock covered with cement that housed a prison off the shore of San Francisco, California. It was open during the 1934 and closed in 1964. Moose moved there with his family. His dad was one of the prison guards. Alcatraz or “Devil’s Island” had convicts that are the kind other prisons didn’t want. The worst of the worst, they said it was a prison no one could escape from. Moose had a sister named Natalie that needed a special school, the Esther P. Marinoff School. It was for kids like Natalie that needed extra help. She had autism which no one knew a lot about back then. The story was set in 1935 right after the prison opened.
The story was about how 23 kids lived among the worst convicted prisoners and how strange friendships can evolve. Moose liked baseball and all the things regular kids liked. He had to move away from all his friends for his sister. One of the most famous prisoners was Al Capone, a dangerous gangster from Chicago. The title of the book comes from the fact that Al Capone worked in the prison laundry! Piper, one of Moose’s’ new friends had a scheme to make money by having extra shirts washed in the prison laundry and people would pay to have Al Capone wash their shirts. Until the warden, Piper’s father, found out…. You have to read the book to find out how Al Capone helped Moose, his sister and his family.
This book tells how you can make unusual friends and I would recommend it. It is a book that has a real story and you can make sense of the plot. It is fiction but I believe that it could have really happened. I would have liked to go to have a tour of the prison even though it has been closed for years. That makes the story seem so real. Sometimes you have to put your family first and I liked how Moose was able to make the best of that type of situation.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Name of this Book is Secret
The Name of this Book is Secret
Author: Pseudonymous Bosch
Genre: Mystery
Reviewer: Sidd
Well, as the name says, this book's name is secret. Still, this book is also about a secret. Plus, it also contains a secret! Do you think that you could handle that? In this book, there are many things that I can't tell you because it is classified, but I can tell you that this book's plot revolves around the mysterious death of a magician. The main characters are named Cass and Max-Ernest. They aer the ones that try to solve the mystery of his death. Once again, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anymore. Just go and read this book for yourself.
This book comes with a mysterious narrator who will guide on the way through the main characters' adventures. This book is also filled with word puzzles, anagrams, and many more things that will make this a real page-turner. I swear that this book is just 357 pages of fun! Although is it a little confusing to read, I suggest this book to anyone who loves adventure and mystery.
Author: Pseudonymous Bosch
Genre: Mystery
Reviewer: Sidd
Well, as the name says, this book's name is secret. Still, this book is also about a secret. Plus, it also contains a secret! Do you think that you could handle that? In this book, there are many things that I can't tell you because it is classified, but I can tell you that this book's plot revolves around the mysterious death of a magician. The main characters are named Cass and Max-Ernest. They aer the ones that try to solve the mystery of his death. Once again, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anymore. Just go and read this book for yourself.
This book comes with a mysterious narrator who will guide on the way through the main characters' adventures. This book is also filled with word puzzles, anagrams, and many more things that will make this a real page-turner. I swear that this book is just 357 pages of fun! Although is it a little confusing to read, I suggest this book to anyone who loves adventure and mystery.
Maximum Ride the Angel Experiment
Title: Maximum Ride the Angel Experiment
Author: James Patterson
Genre: Sci Fi
Maximum Ride is a sci-fi, thriller, and mystery, made by James Patterson. I would call it action if there was such a genre. The Angel Experiment is the first in the series, followed by Schools Out- Forever, Saving the World and other extreme sports, and the most recently released, The Final Warning. The book is about 6 amazing kids who all have something different than us. They where biogenetically engineered to have wings and fly. They were raised in a lab, and tortured in various tests, but they escaped with the help of Jeb. He was a Scientist who actually had feelings to the kids. After the escape, they live in a mountain side retreat. Then one of the kids, Angel, is kidnapped by an Eraser. An Eraser is what the 6 kids call the half-man, half-wolf creatures from the lab trying to capture the kids. Will the kids be able to save Angel? Read this book to find out!
This book was absolutely amazing. It was mystery, sci-fi, and thriller all the time. Always, and I mean always, were you sitting on the edge of your seat. The quick wits and action in this book always add up to one thing, pure awesomeness. Now if you dislike action movies like Mission Impossible, James Bond, and Die Hard (maybe not) you would love this book. Even if not this is still a great book. Now if you are wondering what I personally thought. This is the best book series I have ever read. (I don’t read that much though) I would literally read 150 pages per night. I was on the edge of my seat of course. Read this book if it is the last thing you do!
Author: James Patterson
Genre: Sci Fi
Maximum Ride is a sci-fi, thriller, and mystery, made by James Patterson. I would call it action if there was such a genre. The Angel Experiment is the first in the series, followed by Schools Out- Forever, Saving the World and other extreme sports, and the most recently released, The Final Warning. The book is about 6 amazing kids who all have something different than us. They where biogenetically engineered to have wings and fly. They were raised in a lab, and tortured in various tests, but they escaped with the help of Jeb. He was a Scientist who actually had feelings to the kids. After the escape, they live in a mountain side retreat. Then one of the kids, Angel, is kidnapped by an Eraser. An Eraser is what the 6 kids call the half-man, half-wolf creatures from the lab trying to capture the kids. Will the kids be able to save Angel? Read this book to find out!
This book was absolutely amazing. It was mystery, sci-fi, and thriller all the time. Always, and I mean always, were you sitting on the edge of your seat. The quick wits and action in this book always add up to one thing, pure awesomeness. Now if you dislike action movies like Mission Impossible, James Bond, and Die Hard (maybe not) you would love this book. Even if not this is still a great book. Now if you are wondering what I personally thought. This is the best book series I have ever read. (I don’t read that much though) I would literally read 150 pages per night. I was on the edge of my seat of course. Read this book if it is the last thing you do!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Smiles to Go
Title: Smiles to Go
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Sidd
This book is about a teenager named Will Tuppence. He is your average teenager, he eats pizza, plays chess, has an annoying little sister, has two friends named BT (Anthony Botempo) and Mi-Su, and so on. The whole book is based about his life. The twists and turns of an average teenage boy are about to come alive in this book!
This book is written in a diary format. It a warm-hearted book. I love how this book is very psychological, but it is also filled with comedy and drama. This amalgam-of-emotions book will thrill you. You won't be able to stop reading until you have finished the book. We already know that Jerry Spinelli is an excellent author with is Newberry Honor Book Maniac Magee, so why not read this one? I guarantee you it will give you a smile.
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Sidd
This book is about a teenager named Will Tuppence. He is your average teenager, he eats pizza, plays chess, has an annoying little sister, has two friends named BT (Anthony Botempo) and Mi-Su, and so on. The whole book is based about his life. The twists and turns of an average teenage boy are about to come alive in this book!
This book is written in a diary format. It a warm-hearted book. I love how this book is very psychological, but it is also filled with comedy and drama. This amalgam-of-emotions book will thrill you. You won't be able to stop reading until you have finished the book. We already know that Jerry Spinelli is an excellent author with is Newberry Honor Book Maniac Magee, so why not read this one? I guarantee you it will give you a smile.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Hardy Boys-Murder House
Title: The Hardy Boys - Murder House
Author: Franklin W. Dixon
Genre: Mystery
Reviewer: Katie
Have you ever been in a house where a murder has taken place? The Hardy Boys are on a mission to finally get to the bottom of a deadly scare. This story takes place on the television set of the reality show "Deprivation House." The house is a huge villa in Beverly Hills, California, without a single luxury item left inside. This is a reality show where teenagers see how long they can last without the luxury items they are used to.
Frank and Joe, better known as the Hardy Boys, weren't actually contestants on the reality show. They were working undercover on a assignment for American Teens Against Crime. All of the contestants had received death threats, but they thought it was just something the producers came up with to add excitement to the show.
The contestants found messages on the walls of the house and on pieces of paper saying, "House of Death." They also discovered a drawing of a little girl carved into the library wall. There was something that happened in the same house ten years ago that may explain why the house was haunted. Katrina Decter was a actress on her way to superstardom when her husband killed her. It happened in the great room upstairs. She was just out of rehab for drugs and alcohol when she had a relapse. Katrina attacked her daughter, Nina, who was only four years old. Her husband killed her to save Nina's life. He told Nina that a demon killed her mother.
Other horrifying things also happened in the house. Brynn, one on the contestants on the show, let out a scream when she walked into the bathroom. All the contestants came running. They found a bloody teddy bear with the stuffing pulled out on the bathroom floor. After taking a closer look, they could tell that the blood was just ketchup. Later, when the contestants were out in the garden, they saw Brynn lying face down in the dirt. Her light blue jacket was red with blood. But when they turned her over, they were surprised that it was Georgina wearing Brynn's coat. Georgina had been stabbed in the back with a knife.
It seemed like there was a demon in the house that was after Brynn. The Hardy Boys were narrowing down their list of suspects when they heard another terrifying scream coming from Brynn's bedroom. Brynn had four deep claw marks cut across her right cheek and there was blood dripping from her face. She had blood and tissue also under her fingernails. The Hardy Boys thought that Brynn had probably fought off her attacker. They checked all of the contestants to see if any of them had scratch marks on them, but they didn't. Could the demon have done this or was it the producers of the show trying to get good ratings?
Near the end of the story, the Hardy Boys suspected Brynn of being Nina, the little girl who used to live in the huge house. Whenever the rest of the contestants talked about the murder, Brynn would leave the room. So Frank had a plan to talk about the murder to Brynn to see how she would react. When Frank tried to talk to her, she left the room and Joe was ready to follow her. Brynn walked quickly to the garden and dug up a large silver knife. She aimed the knife at her chest and Joe shouted to her to stop. She started to put the knife down as Frank pushed her to the ground. When they asked her what she was doing, she didn't answer. She had a blank stare like she didn't know where she was.
After this happened, the show was cancelled. Some of the contestants thought they should be given some of the million dollar prize because of this. The producer of the show told them that they had all been given something very valuable. They were all given the chance to realize that they had more than they needed. They had learned that they could get by with much less than they ever thought they could.
Brynn was actually Nina after all. She was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for help. Being back in the house where she saw her mother killed by her father was very traumatic. Nina began to have blackouts. She wasn't even aware of the things she was doing. After counseling, Nina was beginning to remember what really happened that night. Her mother hadn't started using drugs or alcohol again. But she decided that she wanted to leave her husband. They fought and he killed her. Her grandparents helped her change her name to Brynn Fulgham so that she would be safe from the media. When Nina realized that a reality show was going to take place in the house where the murder happened, she wanted to go back. She thought that there would be something there to help her remember what really happened to her mother.
Frank and Joe went to visit Nina in the hospital. She was making good progress. The Hardy Boys felt like they had completed their mission, none of the contestants ended up dead.
My favorite character in this book was Ann. She would freak out about the demon every time something bad would happen. I would recommend this book to a friend because it gives you the chills as you read it. It uses good adjectives to describe the horror scenes.
Author: Franklin W. Dixon
Genre: Mystery
Reviewer: Katie
Have you ever been in a house where a murder has taken place? The Hardy Boys are on a mission to finally get to the bottom of a deadly scare. This story takes place on the television set of the reality show "Deprivation House." The house is a huge villa in Beverly Hills, California, without a single luxury item left inside. This is a reality show where teenagers see how long they can last without the luxury items they are used to.
Frank and Joe, better known as the Hardy Boys, weren't actually contestants on the reality show. They were working undercover on a assignment for American Teens Against Crime. All of the contestants had received death threats, but they thought it was just something the producers came up with to add excitement to the show.
The contestants found messages on the walls of the house and on pieces of paper saying, "House of Death." They also discovered a drawing of a little girl carved into the library wall. There was something that happened in the same house ten years ago that may explain why the house was haunted. Katrina Decter was a actress on her way to superstardom when her husband killed her. It happened in the great room upstairs. She was just out of rehab for drugs and alcohol when she had a relapse. Katrina attacked her daughter, Nina, who was only four years old. Her husband killed her to save Nina's life. He told Nina that a demon killed her mother.
Other horrifying things also happened in the house. Brynn, one on the contestants on the show, let out a scream when she walked into the bathroom. All the contestants came running. They found a bloody teddy bear with the stuffing pulled out on the bathroom floor. After taking a closer look, they could tell that the blood was just ketchup. Later, when the contestants were out in the garden, they saw Brynn lying face down in the dirt. Her light blue jacket was red with blood. But when they turned her over, they were surprised that it was Georgina wearing Brynn's coat. Georgina had been stabbed in the back with a knife.
It seemed like there was a demon in the house that was after Brynn. The Hardy Boys were narrowing down their list of suspects when they heard another terrifying scream coming from Brynn's bedroom. Brynn had four deep claw marks cut across her right cheek and there was blood dripping from her face. She had blood and tissue also under her fingernails. The Hardy Boys thought that Brynn had probably fought off her attacker. They checked all of the contestants to see if any of them had scratch marks on them, but they didn't. Could the demon have done this or was it the producers of the show trying to get good ratings?
Near the end of the story, the Hardy Boys suspected Brynn of being Nina, the little girl who used to live in the huge house. Whenever the rest of the contestants talked about the murder, Brynn would leave the room. So Frank had a plan to talk about the murder to Brynn to see how she would react. When Frank tried to talk to her, she left the room and Joe was ready to follow her. Brynn walked quickly to the garden and dug up a large silver knife. She aimed the knife at her chest and Joe shouted to her to stop. She started to put the knife down as Frank pushed her to the ground. When they asked her what she was doing, she didn't answer. She had a blank stare like she didn't know where she was.
After this happened, the show was cancelled. Some of the contestants thought they should be given some of the million dollar prize because of this. The producer of the show told them that they had all been given something very valuable. They were all given the chance to realize that they had more than they needed. They had learned that they could get by with much less than they ever thought they could.
Brynn was actually Nina after all. She was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for help. Being back in the house where she saw her mother killed by her father was very traumatic. Nina began to have blackouts. She wasn't even aware of the things she was doing. After counseling, Nina was beginning to remember what really happened that night. Her mother hadn't started using drugs or alcohol again. But she decided that she wanted to leave her husband. They fought and he killed her. Her grandparents helped her change her name to Brynn Fulgham so that she would be safe from the media. When Nina realized that a reality show was going to take place in the house where the murder happened, she wanted to go back. She thought that there would be something there to help her remember what really happened to her mother.
Frank and Joe went to visit Nina in the hospital. She was making good progress. The Hardy Boys felt like they had completed their mission, none of the contestants ended up dead.
My favorite character in this book was Ann. She would freak out about the demon every time something bad would happen. I would recommend this book to a friend because it gives you the chills as you read it. It uses good adjectives to describe the horror scenes.
The Voyage of the Dawntreader
Title: The Voyage of the Dawntreader
Author: C. S. Lewis
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Reviwere: Kimberly
This book began with Edmund and Lucy visiting their awful, disagreeable cousin Eustace. Eustace is selfish and is teasing the two about Narnia, the land that they have visited but Eustace doesn’t believe in. Suddenly, a picture on the wall of a magnificent ship begins moving and rocking, growing larger and larger; the three begin feeling the ocean spray and light gusts of wind. They land in the ocean and are hoisted onboard by the crew of the ship. There, Lucy and Edmund recognize their friends, Prince Caspian, whom they rescued the previous time they were in Narnia, and Reepicheep, the valiant Talking Mouse, who comes up to about the height of an adult’s knees. Caspian, Reepicheep, and the crew are on a quest to reach the end of the world and find the Seven Lords, who were tricked into sailing away and never returned, or avenge them if they had died. They sail across uncharted lands, settle on several strange islands, meet the inhabitants and have amazing adventures.
This book was excellent and I could hardly prevent myself from continuing reading it to the exclusion of all else. The plot was thrilling and unexpected. My favorite island was the island where dreams come true. It wasn’t what I expected and was the most terrifying of all. The adventures on the islands were extremely creative and I would never have been able to imagine them. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone who can read. Enjoy!
Author: C. S. Lewis
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Reviwere: Kimberly
This book began with Edmund and Lucy visiting their awful, disagreeable cousin Eustace. Eustace is selfish and is teasing the two about Narnia, the land that they have visited but Eustace doesn’t believe in. Suddenly, a picture on the wall of a magnificent ship begins moving and rocking, growing larger and larger; the three begin feeling the ocean spray and light gusts of wind. They land in the ocean and are hoisted onboard by the crew of the ship. There, Lucy and Edmund recognize their friends, Prince Caspian, whom they rescued the previous time they were in Narnia, and Reepicheep, the valiant Talking Mouse, who comes up to about the height of an adult’s knees. Caspian, Reepicheep, and the crew are on a quest to reach the end of the world and find the Seven Lords, who were tricked into sailing away and never returned, or avenge them if they had died. They sail across uncharted lands, settle on several strange islands, meet the inhabitants and have amazing adventures.
This book was excellent and I could hardly prevent myself from continuing reading it to the exclusion of all else. The plot was thrilling and unexpected. My favorite island was the island where dreams come true. It wasn’t what I expected and was the most terrifying of all. The adventures on the islands were extremely creative and I would never have been able to imagine them. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone who can read. Enjoy!
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