Diamond Willow by Helen Frost Novel in Verse Realistic Fiction Review # 1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Diamond Willow is about a girl named Diamond Willow who loves dog sledding. But, when her lead dog (Roxy) gets badly hurt because of Willow, her world changes. Will Willow be able to save Roxy or will there be one less dog on their team?
The Grimm Conclusion Companion to A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz Adventure Fantasy Review # 1 * * * * Stars (Great!) This book is a really great book. It has some of the characters and settings from the other two books. There is one part where it’s really confusing, but you then understand it. This book is really good, but not my favorite of the whole series.
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick Adventure Realistic Fiction Review # 1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Freak the Mighty was an interesting book with a tall boy named Max and a tiny boy named Kevin (or Freak). Freak has a disorder and was told he would not live a long life, but was abnormally intelligent. Through this book, these two boys become best friends and go on quests and adventures together. Sadly, at … Read more
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate Fantasy Review # 1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) I liked this book because it was about a gorilla named Ivan. One of his friends is a dog. I love dogs. The dog’s name is Bob. In this story he talks about how it’s not easy being a gorilla. He has a best friend named Stella and when she was in the circus, they chained … Read more
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul Wimpy Kid #9 by Jeff Kinney Funny Illustrated Fiction Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Greg Heffley’s mom has the brilliant idea of taking an educational family road trip after she reads about it in a glossy issue of “Family Frolic” – her favorite magazine. It’s pretty much a disaster from start to finish. The Heffleys have crammed everyone and everything into their van and … Read more
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm Science Fiction Tween – grades 5-8 * * * Stars (Pretty good) Ellie, sixth-grader, takes it in stride when her grandfather – who has cultured the elixir of youth from a heretofore unknown jellyfish – comes to live with her and her mother after being arrested for breaking into his own lab. Because his elixir works. And he’s now the same cantankerous and opinionated old man (who loves Chinese … Read more
Nest by Esther Ehrlich Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Tween (Grades 5-8) * * * SPOILER ALERT! * * * Eleven year old Naomi “Chirp” Orenstein is an avid birdwatcher growing up with her older sister in the early 1970s on Cape Cod. The Orensteins’ lives are forever changed when Chirp’s mother is diagnosed with MS (multiple-sclerosis). Mom – a dancer – sinks into a deep depression when her … Read more
Magic Thief Magic Thief series #1 by Sarah Prineas Fantasy * Star (A waste of time!) Magic Thief was a boy who lived on the streets and stole things in order to survive. He then became an apprentice of a well-known wizard and saved the decaying magic in the city. I didn’t like it because there was absolutely NO climax in the story. There was also NO build-up to a climax at all.
I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Lucy, Elena, and Michael are best friends who will be starting high school in the fall. They lost their 8th grade English teacher, Fat Bob, to a sudden heart attack earlier in the school year and to commemorate his memory and celebrate Lucy’s favorite book (which is also on their summer reading list) the three become literary terrorists and begin … Read more
Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Jason Blake is twelve years old and autistic. He is smart and perceptive and has a very rich inner life, but it’s hard for him to verbally express himself and his feelings. He communicates best through his writing and has been sharing it on a website/online community called Storyboard for the past 3 years. Recently, he’s been exchanging emails with … Read more