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
You Wish by Mandy Hubbard Funny Supernatural * * * Stars (Pretty good) Kayla McHenry turns 16 and her mother – the party planner – throws her the most horrifying Sweet Sixteen party ever. Too much pink, too much cake, and too many people – none of them friends. As she blows out her birthday candles Kayla wishes for all of her birthday wishes to come true, which they start to do the following day … 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
The Language Inside by Holly Thompson Novel in verse Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Emma Karas’ family moves back to Massachusetts from Japan, where she has lived her whole life, when her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. It is right after the Tsunami disaster strikes and Emma feels terrible that she can’t be with her friends and their loved ones, helping them in the aftermath. Although she’s fluent in English, Emma … Read more
Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis Fairytale Retelling Science Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Princess Snow (aka “Essie”) escaped to Thanda 8 years ago when her stepmother, Olivia, made an attempt on her life. Since then, she’s become adept at “stitching” together codes to modify the programming of the mining droids at settlement 42, and values the mental and physical challenges of her work (she makes extra money participating in the fighting circuit). When … Read more
Insurgent Divergent #2 by Veronica Roth Adventure Dystopian Science Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) I absolutely love this book because it continued right on from Divergent, the first book. When Tris and Tobias set out to fight their way back to Erudite headquarters there’s so much action and the book never leaves you bored. It does always keep you hanging, though. I definitely recommend reading this book, but after you … Read more
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney Mystery Suspense Thriller Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Janie Johnson has everything she ever wanted – a loving family, friends, and great school grades. When Janie discovers a picture of a little girl on the side of a milk carton, she knows that it must be her. Janie must figure out how she was kidnapped and why.
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.