2007 Book Reviews

Title:  The Boyfriend List
Author:  E. Lockhart
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Trisha B.
Age: 13
Branch: Headquarters

How did you hear about this book?
I simply picked it up while browsing.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Ruby Oliver is a disaster. After a two-week series of social debacles, she has lost her friends, her boyfriend, and all semblance of her dignity. Suddenly finding herself in the office of the shrink, Dr. Z, she gradually builds a list of all the boys she’s had a crush on, or almost went out with, or they almost liked [her], or [they] kissed once. Each chapter tells the story of each entry, in order, on the list, and the tales come together to narrate the essence of Ruby’s life, beginning with her as a well-liked, typical adolescent and ending with her status as an ostracized social leper. It was so much fun to read, and I was laughing throughout.

Title:  Stargirl
Author:  Jerry Spinelli
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Megan N.
Age: 11
Branch: Headquarters

How did you hear about this book?
Probably school... not positive though.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Stargirl is about a young middle-schooler that shakes up the school, particularly one boy (who just happens to collect porcupine neck-ties) I was inspired after reading how this one girl makes a difference in everyone's life. It really made me think that I wanted to be Stargirl...I wanted to shake things up a little...anyways (you've heard enough of my rambling...) it was a wonderful book that really made me think about humanity and society’s rules...I most DEFINITELY suggest it.

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Title:  Amazing Grace
Author:  Megan Shull
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Emily G.
Age: 12
Branch: Cliff Cave

How did you hear about this book?
I was browsing in the Cliff Cave Branch and the title caught my eye.
What did you like or dislike about this book?
Amazing Grace is about a teen tennis star who is fed about with the "fake look" that she has to put on. She calls her mom and quits-right before Opens. Grace is shipped to Alaska where she meets a best friend, the love of her life, and she has the best life ever! Just when things started shaping up the worst happens! I love this book ********* out of **! This book is for girls from 12-112!

Title:  Claws
Author:  Will Weaver
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Jenny W.
Age:
Branch: Samuel C. Sachs

How did you hear about this book?
I heard about this book from my friends. They recommended the book so I decided to read it.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
This book is about a boy named Jed Berg, who is 16-year-old who's life is almost perfect. He has a girlfriend, a driver's license, and his dad's awesome car. But one day a gothic punk comes into his life. After that a circle of unfortunate events slowly starts to unravel. His dad is cheating, he's having problems at his school, and his dad affair has left his mom in agony. Laura (the pretend to be goth girl) and Jed are trying to break them up. But Laura's sister has run away and a horrible tragedy happens. Now Jed's life is torn apart. “Life will sooner or later show its claws.’’ This is a fantastic book and has a great moral.

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Title:  Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment
Author:  James Patterson
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Diana W.
Age:
Branch: Samuel C. Sachs

How did you hear about this book?
A teacher started reading it out loud in class, but she stopped in the middle and I wanted to finish it.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Max (Maximum Ride) and her flock, (Fang, Iggy, Gasman, Nudge, and Angel) are on the run for their lives. They are part of an experiment, and they're designed to fly. Before they were locked up in THE SCHOOL by a group of scientists, but they escaped and the scientists want them back. The flock went into hiding for a while, but when the scientists kidnap Angel, Max and the group are determined to get her back. That means having to go back to the place they dread. THE SCHOOL...

Title:  The Wedding Planner's Daughter
Author:  Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Rate It: 2 Stars
Name: Gabrielle G.
Age: 12
Branch: Headquarters

How did you hear about this book?
My friends told me about the book!!!

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Twelve year old Willa Havisham is a classic reader, a cherry-cordial eater, and the worst wisher!!!! But when she and glam. and single mom, Stella, move to the bramble Cape Cod, Willa's wishes come true!!! She makes a best friend (Tina) bonds with her grandma (who makes candy). And best of all her mom is falling for Willa's English teacher -Sam (He is perfect dad material) but before Willa can marry off her mother or dance with her crush (Joseph) something goes wrong with the wishing well!!!!!! Can Willa undo the damage before Stella misses her chance to say "I do"!!!!!

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Title:  The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp
Author:  Rick Yancey
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Diana W.
Age:
Branch: Samuel C. Sachs

How did you hear about this book?
I saw this book on the shelf in the library.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Alfred Knopp is destined to save the world. But he doesn't think so. On one of his uncle's crazy get rich quick schemes, Alfred is tricked into stealing a mystic sword, Excalibur. And now it's in the hands of the wrong person. Alfred is determined to get it back. With the help of an ancient order of knights helping him, he sets out to rescue that sword. But being the klutz that he is, will he succeed?

Title:  Fire Star
Author:  Chris D'Lacey
Rate It: Stars
Name: Devon H.
Age: 12
Branch: Samuel C. sachs

How did you hear about this book?

What did you like or dislike about this book?
David is back in the Artic. As the story unfolds David learns about the Fire Star that is involved in everything that is going on. The polar bears' habitat is melting and will have a significant increase if the Fain dragons come to Earth. Lucy has been taken by Gwillana and Zanna disappeared with the polar bears. David's college teacher, Dr. Bergstrom, knows about everything that is going happening to the dragons. David must stop the dragons and send Gwillana back to the Fain.

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Title:  Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean
Author:  Justin Somper
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Kristen P.
Age: 13
Branch: Grand Glaize

How did you hear about this book?
Barnes in Noble
What did you like or dislike about this book?
Well, if pirates are bad, and vampires are worst, Then I pray that as long as I be, that though I sing of vampirates, I never one shall I see. This part of an old shanty was what Conner’s and grace’s father used to sing to them on stormy nights, until he died. When Conner and Grace’s dad died they are offered a choice to live with the broker who owns their light house or the neighborhood orphanage. When decision time comes, Connor and Grace decide to set sail on the raging seas. Then soon after they set sail, the sea turns against them and a huge storm hits. Then both of them were tossed in to different directions on driftwood. Conner is rescued by regular pirates while Grace is rescued by Vampirates. Will they ever get to see each other? Will Grace make it off the ship alive? If you are interested read the book! You won't regret it.

Title:  Eldest
Author:  Christopher Paolini
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Matt B.
Age: 13
Branch: Samuel C. Sachs

How did you hear about this book?
There were rumors going around about a sequel, and I was interested.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Eldest is about Eragon, and again it is about him being the next Dragon Rider, but this time, he isn't taught the ways of magic by Brom, but by elves. A wound to the back crippled him in the last book, but in this one, he mysteriously gets healed. It was great because it had more sensory detail than the first, and many life-changing decisions are made

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Title:  The Truth About Forever
Author:  Sarah Dessen
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Laura C.
Age: 13
Branch: Weber Road

How did you hear about this book?
My sister loved it and recommended it to me.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
This book is about a girl named Macy. She has a planned out, scheduled summer ahead of her. Her boyfriend is away at "Brain Camp" and she is filling in for him at his job at the library. Macy and her mother are still dealing with the grief of Macy's father's death. Her boyfriend, Jason, thinks they should take a break from dating. Macy meets the crazy Wish catering crew at a party and starts working for them. There she meets Wes, and they quickly become friends. Her summer turns from a scheduled, repetitive summer into one with new friends and a more carefree, happy summer. But she still has to deal with her grief and her mother's unwillingness to talk about her father's death. I liked how real Macy seemed. And Wes is probably one of the most awesome fictional teenage guys you could hope for! I would definitely recommend this book for teenage girls.

Title:  Frightful's Mountain
Author:  Jean George
Rate It: 2 Stars
Name: Briana J.
Age: 12
Branch: Tesson Ferry

How did you hear about this book?
I read the other two in the series so I thought I should read this one, too.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
It is about how Frightful, a peregrine falcon who used to be owned by Sam Gribley, survives and how she deals with her urge to go south for the migration and to stay the winter with Sam up north in his cozy hemlock tree home. Frightful doesn't know how to deal with screaming chicks who want food and warmth and she doesn't know what to do without Sam. When she finally successfully lays eggs and hatches them, Bate and Flip, who were poachers stole two of the three chicks to sell to Skri, a rich Arabian. George really does a great job with suspenseful books.

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Title:  God Don't Like Ugly
Author:  Mary Monroe
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Brittany H.
Age: 15
Branch: Jamestown Bluffs

How did you hear about this book?
My Mother

What did you like or dislike about this book?
This book takes place during the time where there was still segregation and takes us through the life of the best friends Annette Goode and Rhoda Nelson and their families. Annette Goode grew up with her mother when her father ran out on them with a white woman. When Annette and her mother moved to Ohio and life got better...Annette's mother let her friend Mr. Boatwright move in with them. Annette was 6 at the time and Mr. Boatwright started raping her. Annette told nobody but her best friend Rhoda who lived across the street. Annette never felt beautiful because she's overweight and has dark black skin. Rhoda made her feel beautiful. There is so much drama and craziness in this book that you won't want to put it down!!! I love all the crazy characters and the suspenseful plot.

Title:  Pond Scum
Author:  Alan Silberberg
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Mitch W.
Age: 12
Branch: Oak Bend

How did you hear about this book?
I was looking in the new book section of the library and thought this book was interesting.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
The book's main character is Oliver, a boy who doesn't have any friends. His family moves into an old, dilapidated house right next to a pond. The animals in the pond are an alliance to stop whoever tries to move in, but they fail. While at the house, Oliver catches a salamander named Mooch. When his mom and sister are away, he decides to set up the antenna for the T.V. While doing so, a crow named Antion hits him and makes Oliver fall into the attic. He finds a strange yellow gem that lets him turn into any animal he touches it with. He can speak to the animals now, and befriends Mooch and Antion. Soon another crow plans to take over the pond. Oliver's sister takes the gem and accidentally uses it. The crow planning to take over the pond takes action and Oliver is trying to save the pond. You have to read the ending because I'm not going to spoil it! I thought the book was suspenseful and a good book. I recommend it.

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Title:  Forged By Fire
Author:  Sharon M. Draper
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Abby F.
Age: 15
Branch: Florissant Valley

How did you hear about this book?
School

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Forged By Fire is about a boy named Gerald who is in a fire at age three. He was home alone so the government took him away from his mother and sent him to live with his aunt. A few years later she died so Gerald went back with his mother, her husband, and his little half sister Angel. Angel's father, Jordan Sparks abuses her and her mother doesn't do anything about it so Gerald has to protect her. As a teenager, Gerald finds success as a member of the Hazelwood Tiger basketball team and Angel as great talent in dancing. Gerald's close friend dies and he's still protecting Angel, who he is very close to. In the end he must stand up to his stepfather alone in a blazing confrontation.

Title:  The Coming of Dragons
Author:  A.J. Lake
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Linda W.
Age: 15
Branch: Bridgeton Trails

How did you hear about this book?
I just picked it up at my local library.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
It is about two completely different children who are on the same ship when it goes out to sea and is destroyed. One loses her father while the others royal parents don't know he is alive. Little did they know that when they went on that trip destiny had something different in store for them than what they had imagined. This is a brilliant story filled with magic and imagination.

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Title:  Till Death Do Us Part
Author:  Lurlene McDaniel
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Hillary W.
Age: 13
Branch: Samuel C.Sachs

How did you hear about this book?
My sisters

What did you like or dislike about this book?
April Lancaster is the main character in this book. When April suddenly faints in school she is rushed to the hospital for tests. Along with fainting April has been suffering from severe headaches. While she’s at the hospital she meets a guy named Mark Gianni. Mark thinks that April is amazing and he wants to marry her. April already has a boyfriend, but she likes Mark too. When April is diagnosed with a brain tumor, she tells her boyfriend, Chris, and he doesn't take it very well. They break up and Mark and April begin to go out. Mark soon asks April to marry him but when Mark begins having difficulties with his disease of cystic fibrosis things become harder for everyone, especially April. Figure out what April does in this book. I loved it and I know you will too.

Title:  Evil Genius
Author:  Catherine Jinks
Rate It: 2 Stars
Name: Elena A.
Age: 14
Branch: Daniel Boone

How did you hear about this book?
I saw it at Borders and it looked good so I requested it at the library.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
The book is about Cadel Piggot, a boy with a super genius IQ and incredible abilities with computers. When he is caught using his nanny's credit cards at age 7, his adoptive parents, who are usually away on their own careers, send him to Thaddeus Roth, a psychologist. Thaddeus is really an agent of Cadel's real father, the imprisoned crime lord Phineas Darkkon. Thaddeus connects Cadel with Darkkon, and the two men groom him to take over his father's empire. When Cadel graduates high school at 13, Thaddeus tricks his parents into sending him to college at the Axis Institute, a place Darkkon founded for future criminal masterminds. At Axis Institute, Cadel gets in touch with his conscience, and uses the skills he learns there to try to escape his evil father's influence.

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Title:  His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass
Author:  Phillip Pullman
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Camilla H.
Age: 14
Branch: Lewis and Clark

How did you hear about this book?
My sisters have been telling me to read it for years.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
The Golden compass is about a girl named Lyra. She travels up north to find out more about a mysterious substance called "Dust" and also to rescue her friend Roger and her uncle Asriel. This book is amazing! It pulls you in from the first page.

Title:  Emma
Author:  Jane Austen
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Sara H.
Age: 11
Branch: Lewis and Clark

How did you hear about this book?
My mom

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Emma is about a girl named Emma Woodhouse. It starts at her governess's wedding. Believing that she had brought the two together, she decides to be a matchmaker for her friends. She starts with her new friend, Harriet smith. After trying to pair her up with several different people, all end in failure. When Emma finds true love herself, everything else seems to fall into place. Making for a happy ending.

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Title:  The Giver
Author:  Lois Lowery
Rate It: 2 Stars
Name: Nicole C.
Age: 14
Branch: Thornhill

How did you hear about this book?
I heard about this book from school.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
The Giver is about a boy named Jonas who lives in a community where everything has Sameness. All of their decisions are made for them. It seems like the ideal community to live in. However, when Jonas gets selected, he realizes that many things were being hidden from the whole community. This book is very exciting and definitely worth reading.

Title:  Kidnapped
Author:  Gordon Korman
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Victoria M.
Age: 13
Branch: Grand Glaize

How did you hear about this book?
At school when we had are book fair!

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Kidnapped is about a sister named Meg and her older brother Aiden. The are walking home from school when a van pulls up and takes Megb Aiden fights to get his sister back but can't so he runs to his mom and dad and tell them what had happened. He wonders why Meg was kidnapped was it for ransom or because of there parents. While Meg figures out a plan to escape Aiden has to team up with the FBI to track down clues Aiden would only now.

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Title:  Charlie Bone and the Beast
Author:  Jenny Nimmo
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Kathryn G.
Age: 14
Branch: Jamestown Bluffs

How did you hear about this book?
I read the other books in the series, and my sister was searching the library website for books, and she spotted it.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
Charlie Bone and the Beast is the sixth book in the Children of the Red King Series. Charlie Bone is an endowed student at Bloor's Academy in his second year. He has saved his father and his mother and father go whale watching for a second honeymoon. At Bloors Academy, a new student, Dagbert Endless, arrives. He is endowed and says he can drown people, and Charlie is his monitor. Meanwhile, Asa Pike, another endowed student who changes forms at dusk, goes missing, and Charlie and his friends are set on helping him. I liked this book because it had a great ending and the characters are interesting.

Title:  Horseradish: Bitter Truths You can't Avoid
Author:  Lemony Snicket
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Kathryn G.
Age: 14
Branch: Jamestown Bluffs

How did you hear about this book?
I spent the night at a friend's house and we were talking about books, and somehow, the word horseradish came up. I laughed and made reference to the Series of Unfortunate Events, and she told me about the book Horseradish.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
It is not really a story, because there is no plot. Instead, it is a bunch of quotes that Lemony Snicket has said or written in his books. I enjoyed this book because some of the quotes were so ridiculous that you had to laugh and then read it to your family. It was very funny, and it was also a very quick read.

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Title:  Mariel of Redwall
Author:  Brian Jacques
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Emily B.
Age: 12
Branch: Eureka Hills

How did you hear about this book?
My mom and I had been reading one of the books in the series when I was in grade school and I decided to start reading the series.
What did you like or dislike about this book?
The book is one of the best ever written because it has adventure, revenge, twists, surprises, and...Is that a hint of romance I smell? Brian Jacques (pronounced "jakes") obviously had a heck of a lot of imagination! The story behind it all is that Muriel and Joseph the bell maker, daughter and father, are taken captive by the most vicious ratlord in the world, Gabool. Luckily, Mariel escapes and, for punishment, Joseph becomes an oarslave. From there, he is chained to a frail, little mouse. Then, a group of Tragg warriors bombard the ship and save Joseph and his new friend; by throwing them off the ship. They made it to shore with the Tragg warriors and dismantle the chains. As a symbol of their gratitude, both of them join the Tragg. Will Joseph and Mariel ever see each other again? Or will they both become slaves to Gabool in the fight for justice?

Title:  Through My Eyes
Author:  Ruby Bridges
Rate It: 2 Stars
Name: Katrina H.
Age: 11
Branch: Rock Road

How did you hear about this book?
At school at the school library's black history book collection.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
This book is about how a girl named Ruby Bridges passed a big I.Q.test and got to go to an all white school. This was only the 1960's so there was a lot of segregation. Because of her going to that school parents took there children out of school except for about 8 kids. Everybody was kept away from Ruby for her security only her teacher and the marshals she had for protection were in the classroom with her. Ruby went to high school but never had the chance to go to collage. her parents got divorced and her little brother ended up dieing but that showed her that she was not suppose to be working for the pony express but she should be fighting for civil rights. Ruby met up with her old teacher from after the I.Q. test and the authors of some of her books. She is knows a volunteer from her old school. And that’s the story of Ruby bridges. I think this is a good book to read but not for a bed time story, but for black history month or school it's perfect.

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Title:  So B. It
Author:  Sarah Weeks
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Julia E.
Age: 12
Branch: Tesson Ferry

How did you hear about this book?
Scholastic book fair.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
So B. It is about a girl named Heidi It. Yes that's right It. See, her mama has a "bum" brain. They have no birth certificates of Heidi or her mom. One of the few things she can remember is that she calls herself So Be It. Her mama's vocabulary consists of 21 words and 2 phrases. Then when she finds an old camera in the back of their junk drawer with all the pictures used Heidi develops the film right away. As she shows her mom the pictures they come to a picture of Heidi's mom possibly pregnant, and possibly her grandmother. Once her mama sees the picture of them she says "soof". Determined to find out what the word means Heidi travels all the way from Reno, Nevada to Liberty, New York looking for Hilltop Home, a home for the mentally disabled. It is there that Heidi meets her mentally disabled father and also, her grandfather.

Title:  The Lioness and Her Knight
Author:  Gerald Morris
Rate It: 3 Stars
Name: Danny B.
Age: 13
Branch: Samuel C. Sachs

How did you hear about this book?
I just found it at the library.

What did you like or dislike about this book?
This book takes place in the time of King Arthur. Luneta, the main character, takes a trip to visit her aunt, the lady Laudine. Luneta finds out she is an enchantress. She meets her other Aunt Morgan, and learns to be an enchantress. Meanwhile, her cousin Ywain gets involved in all kinds of dangerous battles, and finds an odd companion on their way, Lass the lioness. This was a fun read, and I would definitely recommend it.

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