Spring 2007 Reviews

The book that I reviewed is called Fingers. The book follows the story of the main character Sam and his family—his commanding mother, his moronic step dad Luc, and his annoying stepbrother Humphrey who was once a piano prodigy. The book takes place in Europe. The plot is like this: Humphrey (or Humph) is all washed up. No one wants to see his shows anymore because he is no longer a cute little kid, so Bridget devises a plan to return Humph to greatness. Sam will write down music that is supposedly being channeled through Humphrey by a long dead composer. The plan works extremely well until Sam starts seeing things and begins to think that the dead composer has really come back.

Sam begins to see an old man at all of Humphrey’s shows. This old man says things about the certain new piece played, things that only Sam would know. Bridget and Luc write this off as attempts by Sam to get attention. Things take a crazier turn on a trip to Milan. When Sam gets on the train, he discovers a biography on the long dead composer. As Sam reads the book he discovers crazy things about the composer, Laszlo Magyar. He discovers that Magyar was the illegitimate son of a count and a peasant girl. Laszlo went on to become a great and crazy composer. Rumors flew around that he had sold his soul to the devil just to become a great pianist. Sam finds out that Laszlo died when he tripped in a street in Dusseldorf and fell into the path of a trolley. His head and hands were neatly cut off. It is rumored that his head is being kept at a convent in the Ural Mountains.

The family arrives at the next concert and they have the same success as before. It looks like Humphrey’s career is getting back on track. But once again the old man shows up at the end of the concert and mumbles something about the new music, something only Sam knows because he wrote the piece. The rest of the family believes that Sam is just getting jealous and brushes off Sam’s warnings.

Humphrey’s fame has now spread so far that he has been booked for a show in Vienna, so the family travels there and prepares for the show. But once he’s there, Humphrey begins to show signs of arrogance, greediness and selfishness. This angers Sam so much that before the concert he blurts out the truth to Humphrey: how Bridget had been using him, how he had been drugged, and how Sam had been writing all of the music. Humphrey reacts to all of this by running out of the room and into the night. Bridget and Luc become so angry that they lock Sam in the hotel room and go searching for Humphrey.As Sam sits alone in the room, he begins to see the error of his ways. He becomes frightened that Humphrey might get hurt wandering outside at night. Sam then calls the front desk and tells them that he is very sick and that he will throw up all over the carpet if he isn’t let out of his room. The manager, terrified that his carpet will be ruined, relents and tells Sam that someone is coming right away. When Sam is finally let out of the room, he finds that it is the old man who has rescued him from his fate. The old man then informs Sam that he knows where Humphrey is, so they go out into the night.

By this time it is well into the night, and the alley ways that the two go down are very dark. When they finally enter a decrepit old building that the old man declares is his house, he reveals to Sam that he is in fact Laszlo Magyar’s only son. This shock is nothing to what comes next. Sam finds Humphrey sleeping on a bed in an upstairs room. Then the man takes him to another room and shows him some really old manuscripts.

Sam begins to read the papers and discovers that they are all completely identical copies of the music he wrote for Humphrey. This then leads him to find out that the supposed spirit of Laszlo Magyar hadn’t possessed Humphrey, but it had possessed him.

In the end, Bridget and Luc find the house, but Sam and Humphrey run away with the old man to his father’s old estate. There Humphrey learns to actually play the piano the right way and Sam still writes music, even though it may take him the whole day. The book ends with Sam, Humphrey, and the old man living on the island in peace and quiet.

I actually liked this book for a few reasons. First of all it has an interesting plot which kept me glued to the story. The characters have depth to them, so it draws you into the plot. And there are many twists and turns in the story, so it does not get lame or boring. I would recommend this book for people in the grades between 9th grade and 11th grade.

-Abel Ayana, Grade 11, Liberty High School, Youngstown, OH

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Magic by the Book

Nina Bernstein

Frances Foster Books

I think this book was very interesting, even for me. It’s about 3 kids named Anne, Emily, and Will. They all love to read, except for Will who cannot read and prefers picture books. On the first day of summer, they all go to the library to check out a whole basket of books to read throughout their break. Later that day, Anne and Emily are looking through the books they checked out and discover a book that neither of them remembers checking out. They figure Will checked it out. They open the battered and worn book and start reading it. They discover it takes them to the place the book describes. The book is magic! They find themselves in a Robin Hood adventure; Anne and Emily loved reading Robin Hood stories. Later on, when Will gets a hold of the book and looks through the pictures, he finds himself in a world of large bugs. He goes through his own adventure alone. Next time there is an adventure they all swear to have all three of them go through it together. Will there be another adventure? Has the book run out of magic? Will they all get through their adventures safe? All these questions will be answered once you read the book! There are 3 main characters in this book. I’m sure you can find one you like. If not, this isn’t the book for you. I think that young magic lovers with larger vocabularies would like this book. (Younger people with small vocabularies may not be able to understand some words). I think readers in grades 6 and 7 would enjoy this book. I hope you enjoyed my review and found it helpful. Enjoy!

- Amy Arquilla, Grade 8, Volney Rogers Junior High, Youngstown, OH

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The Snow Spider

Jenny Nimmo

Orchard Books

The book I read is called The Snow Spider by Jenny Nimmo. The Snow Spider book is about a boy named Gwyn. A few years before this book takes place, Gywn's sister Bethan goes up to the mountain to recover a lost sheep for Gwyn. She never returns from that horrid night, and Gwyn's father blames Gwyn for Bethan's disappearance. On Gwyn's birthday, his Grandmother Nain gives him 5 strange gifts. Everyone says the old woman is crazy, though Gwyn never thinks so. A strange spider appears shortly after he gets these five gifts. She spins silvery webs that look like ice. In a certain web that Arianwen spins, Gwyn sees a girl. She looks like Bethan! He barely looks away from the web and it is gone. Is he going crazy? Gwyn goes to his Nain many times asking questions about why she has given him these strange things. She explains that she is sure he is the next magician in his family. She believes that Gwyn's ancestors were magicians too. Though the inheritance had skipped her and Gywn's father, she is sure Gwyn has the power. What will happen if he disobeys Nain? You will have to read to find out. I would recommend this book for people who find interest in trying new books and things. I think readers in grades 5 to 7 would enjoy this book. I didn't find too much interest is this book, because I tend to like dragon fantasies rather than magic filled books with spells and such (aside from Harry Potter).

- Amy Arquilla, 8th grade, Volney Junior High School, Youngstown, OH

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Just in Case

Meg Rosoff

Wendy Lamb Books

Just In Case is like the movie, Stranger Than Fiction (the one where Will Farrell has a narrator that tells him his death is imminent). Fate is stalking “Justin” (a psychotic product of pathetic parenting who is in desperate need of pills), so he tries to hide from fate by changing his identity as completely as possible. Because of fate, Justin gets an imaginary dog, befriends the weird, scientifically philosophical Peter, and falls in love – no, lust is more accurate - with the very eccentric Agnes. They all make a very interesting bunch. About halfway through, the novel turns dark and the author tries to freak you out with fate’s sinister plans to ruin Justin’s life (It didn’t really work on me, but that might be because I usually read old thrillers). The plot is not believable and actually quite dumb, but I enjoyed reading it anyway because the vocabulary and sarcasm are both gorgeous. It’s nicely descriptive and appropriately random, but I did have a hard time following what was going on and often had to reread passages (this may or may not be due to my lacking attention span). The humor is a bit deadpan and cynical which was I thought was nice. I recommend this for high school students.

- Cherise Benton, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Saint Iggy

K. L. Going

Harcourt, Inc.

Iggy gets kicked out of school for no reason which is explained at any time in the book. Anyway, his principal tells him that he’s not really a bad kid, and that he should contribute to the world in some way, two things that no one has ever told Iggy, and he takes it to heart. So Iggy decides to “break the cycle”, but he has no money and you need money for a change - only his parents are constantly strung out on meth, crack, heroin etc. and his mom has been out “visiting” for the past few weeks, so Iggy’s parents are clearly in no position to help him. So Iggy turns to Mo, his ex-tutor who is also a very zenned-out weed head who got kicked out of pre-law school for drug possession. A very smart dude if I may say so myself [in a tone dripping with sarcasm].

The plot has the potential to be a good one, but the characters don’t fit their setting at all, and that screws it up a bit. I thought it was strange that Iggy and Mo were living in and near the projects and spoke Standard English without any contractions. It kind of sounds like the author’s first language is not English - most definitely not street English. I think it’s a case of Suburban-author-tries-to-write-about-the-struggle-of-urban-youth-of-yoday-but-obviously-has-no-idea-what-she’s-
talking-about-because-she-hasn’t-been-in-the-streets-a-day-in-her-life Syndrome. The author also tries too hard to write in a style that is modern (i.e. random stream of conscience coupled with deadpan humor), but that’s just not her style. Also, Iggy is supposed to be sixteen, but he reminds me of a ten year old. He’s supposed to be a crack baby who failed the ninth grade twice, but his childishness is still really annoying. Besides that, the ending isn’t really an ending; it feels like we’re missing a chapter or at least an epilogue. The language isn’t colorful or sarcastic enough to distract you from the poor storyline; Just In Case (by Meg Rosoff) is an example of a book which uses humor well to make up for lack of plot. All in all, Saint Iggy is matter out of place. Fat Kid Rules the World (also by Going) was better. I would recommend this book for middle school students.

- Cherise Benton, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Time's Memory

Julius Lester

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Time’s Memory is about Ekundayo, a displaced nyama (soul/spirit) from Guinea (West Africa) who finds himself a slave on a Virginia plantation right before the start of the Civil War. One of the gods of Ekundayo’s people is concerned that the nyamas of dead blacks are not being cared for properly. They believe that this is ruining the order of things and that this will cause some great catastrophe, so it’s up to Ekundayo to set everything straight.

The main characters are Ekundayo (the nyama sent from Guinea by the god Amma) who ends up in the body of Nat/Nathaniel. Nat is a house slave who is now working as a carpenter, but he’s Nathaniel when he’s with Ellen, the plantation owner’s daughter. Nat lives with his grandmother, Harriett, because his mother died when he was a baby. Even though Ekundayo, Nat, and Nathaniel are the same nyama living in Nat’s body, they are really three different people (which seems strange and religious now that I think about it, but the author presents it in a way that seems perfectly normal). Describing any more would give away the whole story.

The plot isn’t believable, but it’s a good read as long as you don’t try to explain it to somebody else later. (I did and sounded absolutely crazy). This is because it’s about displaced spirits joining together, a man who has himself confused with Jesus, and a slave owner dealing with inner turmoil because he was forced to sell the slave he’s in love with. However, since Lester is such an awesome storyteller, somehow all this activity falls into place, makes sense, and isn’t at all hard to follow. It’s a good idea for a book, because it looks at slavery from a different point of view. I recommend it for middle and high school students with open-minded parents.

- Cherise Benton, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Bucking the Sarge

Christopher Paul Curtis

Wendy Lamb Books

Bucking the Sarge is all about the life and times of Luther T. Farrell, whose life and times are actually pretty interesting. He lives in Flint, Michigan, where his mother (the Sarge) is a landlady who owns about half the city. Sarge is into milking the system. A long time ago, she told Luther: “If it’s got nipples, I’m going to milk it.” This is partly why the life and times of Luther T. Farrell are so interesting. Luther’s best friend is Sparky, who is not too bright and anxious to sue somebody as a get rich quick scheme. Each thinks the other’s grass is greener because Sparky’s mom stays off his back but the Sarge has tons of money, so they have regular debates on who has it better and why. Sarge’s right-hand man is Darnell Dixon, who is in charge of maintenance and eviction. And then there is Shayla, the girl Luther’s been in love with since the first day of kindergarten. They have a very healthy love-hate relationship. The book has a nice bunch of characters, made even more interesting by the men in the group home Luther is in charge of.

The story isn’t completely believable. I can’t see anyone’s mother getting a fake driver’s license saying their child is 18 when he’s really 15 so he can drive the bus for the group home. Then she had him actually live at the group home with all the crazy people instead of at home, safe with mommy. However, it is completely within Sarge’s character to do such a thing, and it doesn’t seem odd until you stop reading and think about it.

I really liked the story. I thought it was refreshing because it was comical instead of depressing, and there wasn’t any cussing or sex. It was also because it was about the hood, and actually not a case of Suburban-author-trying-to-write-about-the-struggle-of-urban-youth-of-today-but-obviously-has-no-idea-what-
she’s-talking-about-because-she-hasn’t-been-in-streets-a-day-in-her-life-Syndrome. Curtis is actually from the hood in Flint, so he’s writing about what he knows, which is quite nice. I recommend Bucking the Sarge for both middle and high school students.

- Cherise Benton, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Harmless

Dana Reinhardt

Wendy Lamb Books

Harmless is about what happens when three little girls try to be grown up, do things they don’t have any business doing (it’s pretty obvious what’s going on, but the author wants it to be a surprise so I won’t spoil it for her), then lie to keep themselves out of trouble. This, of course, is not such a genius idea. Emma is the most normal and sane of the bunch. She has an older brother and their parents are still happily married. Anna is a clueless, sheltered, and spoiled only child. Her parents are happily married too. Miranda is wiser than her years and, in Anna’s eyes, is the epitome of cool. She has a mother, stepfather and stepsister she can’t really stand. They all live in a suburb of New York City in a community of suburban middle class professors and computer programmers.

The story is believable (according to cop shows on TV, stuff like this really happens) and even has a moral - several morals, actually: stay away from seniors, be good like you know you’re supposed to, don’t lie. Boys wouldn’t like it, and I didn’t particularly care for it myself, but I think middle school/freshmen girls would enjoy it and possibly even take the hints presented.

- Cherise Benton, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Simon Says

Elaine Marie Alphine

Harcourt

Charles Weston can’t see the forest for all the trees. He is (in my opinion) an irrational and paranoid artist who thinks he can/tries to look into a person or situation and either sketch who they really are or paint what they could be. According to the back of the book, his paintings are “shocking,” but to me they are the kind that shrinks analyze to figure out what’s tormenting the five year old under Post-Traumatic Stress. On top of that, everyone Charles shows his paintings to think he’s weird and stop being friends with him, or in his parents’ case, encourage him to find a different, more normal hobby.

Charles has been obsessing over the game of life - Simon Says - since he can remember. It’s like some conspiracy against him that says he has to be what everyone wants him to be instead of what he really is. To me, it is ridiculous how Charles’ worries about the game and “The Big Picture”. This may have influenced the way I read the book and explain why I found it rather irritating.

It takes place at Whitman, an art school in Texas where each student has a mentor and their own private studio. Charles transfers to Whitman so he can meet Graeme Brandt, a student at Whitman who wrote The Eye of the Storm, which is all about playing the game. The book touches Charles and he must meet this author who knows so much about playing the game and staying true to yourself at the same time.

The book is very tense and dramatic for no reason, but I thought some things about it were clever. For example, it’s nice the way Charles intertwines what he’s thinking with what’s really happening: “‘I am – everything’s going to be fine,’ I assure (lie to) him.” The descriptions are very detailed, possibly because the narrator is an artist –I can’t think of anyone but an artist who would describe someone knocking as “bolts of cadmium red banging on my door.”

I think middle school students would like Simon Says a lot more than I did.

- Cherise Benton, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Bleed

Laurie Faria Stolarz

Hyperion Publishing

Just when you think an author has written the greatest of best-selling hits, they write another one that blows the minds of millions. This is true for Laurie Faria Stolarz, author of the popular young adult novel, Blue is for Nightmares, and her latest hit, Bleed. Laurie Faria Stolarz is a rising author whose books are known among young adult readers. She is currently working on a companion novel for Bleed, which will expand upon Derik LaPointe, one of the ten main characters.

Bleed combines many pressing issues that teens in our generation are faced with, ranging from relationships to cutting. The story is told from the thoughts of ten teenagers: Nicole, Maria, Kelly, Robby, Derik, Sadie, Marl, Ginger, Joy, and Sean. Throughout a time span of only one day, their lives are forever altered. Each of the teens discover new things about each other and ultimately uncover hidden desires and dreams within themselves.

The story is told through the eyes of the ten teens. Each of their accounts of the day is unique and deals with all too familiar topics that are affecting teens. Nicole is the first teen in the book. She is in love with her best friend’s boyfriend, Sean. Maria’s story is unique, as it deals with cutting, one of the hardest-hitting disorders among teens. She doesn’t consider someone a friend until they cut her. Sadie is a young teen whose mother is forcing an eating disorder upon her. Sadie’s mom goes far enough to pin a sign to her shirt asking people not to feed her.

Although these are just a few examples from the story, Bleed goes in-depth into disorders and issues that teens deal with everyday. Even though the story is told through the lives of fictional teens, the issues that they experience are real and are most likely happening as you read this article. Stolarz is down-to-earth with her readers and really makes them think about the possible consequences of their actions.

I believe that the book is extremely well-written and would recommend it to older teenagers who are not afraid to acknowledge that our generation is not perfect. Potential readers should be aware that some of the content in the book is harsh. However, it is time for our generation to face reality. I loved the book and will continue to follow author Laurie Faria Stolarz. Overall, I feel the book is very enlightening and deserves your quality time.

- Darla Conti, Grade 11, Struthers High School, Struthers, OH

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I am the Great Horse

Katherine Roberts

Scholastic, Inc.

This story is about Alexander the Great. However, instead of Alexander telling his story, it is told by Alexander’s horse, Bucephalas. It starts when Bucephalas first sees Alexander when he is a boy and finds Charm. It includes Alexander’s first battle, Charm telling her first dream to Alexander, the final battle Alexander fights, all the way until he dies. It tells of all the battles he was in. There are some legends in the story and a girl who has dreams of the future. There are also heroes in this story and gods and goddesses.

I thought the book was ok, but I did not like the ending. I am not a big fan of sad books or books about war, but, on the other hand, I did like this book, because it was also an action-adventure story and a horse story. It did not seem all believable. Some parts were, but the golden knot part is an example of a part that was not very believable. Most of the characters were likable, but, like all stories, some were not. Overall, it was interesting, but Alexander’s death at the end made me not like the book too much.

I would recommend this story to teens who like war books, sad plots, and action.

- Judy Maxwell, grade 11, Trumbull Career and Technical Center, Warren, OH

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Lush

Natasha Friend

Scholastic Press

Samantha Gwynn is an eight grader in middle school. She lives at home with her mom, dad and her four-year-old little brother Luke. Sam’s life is hard because she worries about her dad, who is an alcoholic. Sam worries about who she should bring over to the house and when and if she should tell her friends about her father. Sam has only told one person about her dad, her ex-best friend Charlie, until she writes a letter and leaves it in a book at the library that no one has checked out in years. She means for the letter to get to a high school girl but it ends up being some one totally different. Even though the person who writes back isn’t the girl Sam wrote it for, she still leaves letters for the person. They communicate this way for a while until Sam is invited to a high school party by a boy named Drew Maddox. At the party, Sam ends up drunk and Drew almost takes her virginity until Sam finally tells him she is only thirteen. Well, when that gets out to the people in school, no one believes her when she says nothing happened, and Sam gets called a bunch of mean names. This is when the mystery letter person thinks it’s time to meet, so Sam ditches school to meet the person. But when she finds out who it is….Sam freaks.

I liked this book. I think it was very interesting to read, and I was hooked. I didn’t put the book down until I was finished. I think that the main characters were okay but the boys Sam went to school with were mean and rude. I think that this book would be read by mainly like eighth or ninth grade girls.

- Lauren Moss, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School, Youngstown, OH

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Prom Anonymous

Blake Nelson

Penguin Group

Introducing the three T’s: Chloe Thomas, Julia (Jace) Torres, and Laura Truman. Because they have to sit in alphabetical order all throughout elementary school, they become best friends. Laura is the popular, pretty one, Jace the athletic one, and Chloe the artistic one. Although they are best friends throughout elementary school, in high school they lose their best friendship. They are still friends, just not best friends. So when Laura convinces Jace and Chloe to go to the junior prom with her, everyone is surprised. Laura is going to prom with her boyfriend of fourteen months, Mike, but Jace and Chloe don’t have boyfriends to go with. This is where the conflict forms. Jace likes a transfer student from California named Paul, and Chloe has no interest in boys at all. That is until the prom comes about and makes Chloe think about what she is and what she wants. Laura feels bad that her old best friend doesn’t have a date, so her friend Abby helps fix Chloe up with a boy named Zach from another school. Chloe has to decide if she wants to change who she is or if she should be like everyone else, Jace has to face if she could ask Paul to the prom and to grow up without her mom helping her with times like the prom, and Laura has to deal with the thoughts of her boyfriend and if their relationship is what she wants.

The quality of this book was great. I really like how it jumps back and forth between all three girls so you always know what is going on. I also like how he has one girl who is all hyped to go to prom, one girl who has never been to a prom but would like to go, and one girl who hasn’t gone to a prom and doesn’t really get into the whole prom thing. I think that middle school and high school students would read this book, mostly middle school girls though.

- Lauren Moss, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School, Youngstown, OH

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An Unlikely Friendship

Ann Rinaldi

Harcourt, Inc.

An Unlikely Friendship is about the friendship between two women in unlikely conditions, a white woman named Mary Todd Lincoln and a black slave named Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley.

The story begins at the time of the Civil War, the day Abraham Lincoln is assassinated at the Ford Theater. Mary Todd Lincoln can’t deal with her husband’s death without her black dress maker named Elizabeth. The story then flashes back to the childhoods that lead to the two become friends. It starts out with young Mary, who lives with her father, siblings, and the house slaves. Mary’s mother dies when giving birth to Mary’s little brother and, not soon after, her father courts another lady named Betsy. Betsy moves in, and that’s when things go bad for Mary. Mary has no one to protect her and no one to lean on except the house slave named Mammy Sally and her Grandma Parker. Betsy hates Mary for some reason, and that leads to fighting and arguing. Eventually, Betsy’s niece Liz comes to live with them and she becomes a friend to Mary, until things get so bad with Betsy that she decides to send Mary away for school. The only problem is that Mary has to stay the week at the school--basically Betsy kicked out Mary. Then the story follows Mary going to visit her older sister’s where she meets Abraham Lincoln. It then tells how Mary and Abraham live until Abraham is elected president.

The story then goes into the life of Elizabeth Hobbs, a little slave girl who happens to be half white. Elizabeth’s life is not as bad as some slaves lives are. Not that she was never punished, but since Elizabeth’s master is also her father, he sometimes protects her. While the other little slave children have to go out to work in the tobacco fields, Lizzy works in the house, eventually becoming house nurse to the mistress’s new baby. When Lizzy grows into a young lady and the mistress no longer trusts her in the house, she is sent away to live with the master’s oldest son and his new wife. It is here where she encounters what it is like to be a slave. She is broken in by her new master’s neighbor, meaning she was beat. She is then sold to another person who ends up sexually assaulting her. She tries to fight him but can’t, so she tells her master and he no longer sends her there. Elizabeth eventually buys her own freedom, gets married, and has a son. She is a great seamstress and opens her own little shop where she eventually sells a dress to Mary Lincoln and asks to be Mary’s personal dress marker. This is how An Unlikely Friendship is formed.

The quality of this book is very good. I never thought that I would have gotten into a history related book like this, but it is very interesting. I really couldn’t put it down; Ann Rinaldi really has a way with making history good to read. She is a really great author. I think that mostly high school juniors or seniors would read this book, but, really, any one could read it, even if they don’t really like history novels. If you like this book, another really great book to check out would be The Coffin Quilt, also by Ann Rinaldi.

- Lauren Moss, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School, Youngstown, OH

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Life as I Knew It

Randi Hacker

Simon Pulse

This book is about a sixteen year-old girl named Angelina Rossini. She lives with her mother and her father. She is an average 21st century girl in a small town named Blodgett, Vermont. She has a best friend named Jax who she is in love with, but it just so happens that he just recently came out as gay. She usually doesn’t have problems with her class mates but there is one girl who for, no reason, hates her, so they fight sometimes. Angelina has no clue why Celeste hates her. This is Angelina’s life before her father has the stroke. After Angelina’s father has the stroke everything changes completely. Her father can no longer use the right side of his body, he can’t except to say "Ho ho ho ho." This kind of scares Angelina and she no longer looks at her father the same way. She ends up not wanting to kiss him or touch him.

After her father has been back home for some time, she finally sees that he is the same old dad he always was, and she even learns how to talk to him even though he can’t talk back. She even helps him use the bathroom once. Everything is the same everywhere else though: at school she still loves Jax and Celeste still hates her. Then she finds out one day why Celeste hates her: Celeste is in love with Angelina. Things stay this way until something bad happens…Angelina’s dad dies.

I think that this book is very good. The author goes into a lot of detail, and it is very well written. All the characters are likable. I think this book would be good for any one in high school or middle school. It was a very good book.

- Lauren Moss, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School, Youngstown, OH

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Nightwood

Patricia Windsor

Delacorte Press

When three friends decide to skip out on their school trip and spend a week in the woods in their friend's cabin, they think it's a wonderful idea. But their wonderful idea soon becomes a terrifying nightmare: a cannibalistic murderer is loose in the woods, and he's preying on them. One boy is strung up in his lair, as his meal. Another boy is dead. Animals have been slaughtered. And now the girls are the target. Gena is kidnapped and taken to his lair, Casey is beaten within an inch of her life, and Maryann...finds purpose in her life. By the end of this terrifying ride, you won't believe what has happened to all those involved!

Nightwood wasn't one of the better novels I've read, and there were a lot of characters to cycle through and keep straight as the book went on, but it was enjoyable and shocking. I give the book two thumbs up for a total thrill and gore factor.

I recommend this book to 11th grade and up for foul language and gruesome scenes.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Orphan of the Sun

Gil Harvey

Bloomsbury

Orphan of the Sun is a novel of enchantment and intrigue based in an ancient Egyptian tomb-builders’ city of Set-Maat. The story follows Meryt-Re, a thirteen-year-old orphaned girl living in her plasterer uncle's home. However, Meryt is no ordinary girl. She has been blessed by the gods, or cursed, as her uncle and neighbors fear. She is gifted with the sight of dreams. What they mean exactly, she's not quite sure, at least until a conspiracy unfolds among the tomb builders to rid themselves of their foreman. The gods are showing Meryt who is committing the true crimes, and how, but she needs to figure out on her own how to bring about this betrayal. With the help of the gods, her friends, and the Wise Woman Teti, maybe Meryt can save her beloved home, if she can only interpret the dreams the gods are sending her.

I enjoyed this stroy a lot, because I'm a big fan of the ancient Egyptian culture and mythology, so this was right up my alley. I loved Meryt because she wasn't ready to accept marriage or the gift the gods' have given her, but in the end, everything turns out just fine for Meryt and everyone she cares most for. The author was extensive in her research, and I respect how she kept true to the culture she was writing about.

I recommend this book to grades 7 and up and to those lovers of ancient Egypt.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Wolfcry

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Delacorte Press

Wolfcry is the fourth installment of the Kiesha'ra series, continuing the tale of Danica Shardae's and Zane Cobriana's search for peace among their two warring kingdoms. Wolfcry, which is set twenty-one years later, is a testament to both the love of their avian and serpent courts—and each other. Oliza Shardae Cobriana is the only heir to Wyvern's Court, a wyvern among bird and snake, and now she must choose a king. How can she choose without waking the bloodlust lurking inside her people and still find happiness for herself? It's no easy question for a ruler of combined courts. Then Oliza is kidnapped by mercenaries in the dead of night, poison is injected into her system, and her beautiful golden wings are clipped. When she escapes, she's rescued by a feral shape-shifting wolf name Betia, who might just give her another future. As the two females travel back to Wyvern's Court, they become closer and Oliza realizes a side of herself she didn't know she had. In the end, in order to save the future of Wyvern's Court, Oliza realizes she has to follow her heart and maybe do something a little unexpected by everyone.

Wolfcry had me on the edge of my seat. I picked it up and just couldn't stop reading it. I felt a new respect for Oliza that I didn’t have for her in the previous book, Falcondance, where she seemed like such a frivolous princess. She really grew up and decided what was best for her kingdom was best for her too. I can't wait until the next installment of the Kiesha'ra.

I recommend this book to ages fourteen and up and all Atwater-Rhodes fans.

The previous books in the Kiesha'ra series include Hawksong, Snakecharm, and Falcondance.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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The Forest in the Hallway

Gordon Smith

Clarion Books

When Beatriz comes home from school one day to find that her parents have completely disappeared, it leads her on the greatest--and craziest--adventure of young life. She is sent to live with her uncle, whose apartment building is the start of her journey. As Beatriz travels along the nineteenth floor, she wanders into a forest that leads to an alternate world. Here, Death--who is overworked and quite friendly with a dry sense of humor—gives the girl a quest: help him find the one disrupting the balance of this land and she just might find her parents in the process. So off Beatriz goes, becoming friends with a fairy godmother and her two children, a boy with no memory, and a girl she rescues from a couple of kidnappers. But enemies are afoot, including life-force vampires and the one Death is searching, Angela the Witch. What she doesn't realize, though, is what she's searching for is right under her nose.

The Forest in the Hallway is a great fantasy read about a girl who would do anything to get her parents back. Beatriz deals with a modern world mixed with magic and the evil creatures residing there in her perilous search. It was a cute story, literally all about family. Just wait until you piece together Beatriz's family tree!

I recommend this book to ages 13 and up for all fantasy readers.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade: 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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21 Proms

David Levithan and Daniel Ehrenhaft, editors

Point

Everyone knows how important prom is to seniors in high school: the money, the time, the preparation, the dress, the date. Well, this is a book written by 21 different authors all about prom. Some of the stories are based on the author’s actual prom and others are made up of what the author would have liked their prom to be; also, some are purely just made up. This book is filled with stories all about the effort put into prom.

I think this was a very good book. The authors do a very good job going into details about how kids really get into prom. All the stories a well written and most are funny. I think that juniors and seniors in high school would most likely read this book just to see how others proms have been; also, freshman and sophomores in high school might read it just to get a feel for what prom really is. I think it would be an all-around good book for anybody in high school.

- Lauren Moss, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School, Youngstown, OH

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Cathy's Book

Sean Stewart and Jordan Weisman

Running Press Kids

Cathy’s Book is a fictional novel in which the reader must solve the mystery of the sudden disappearance of a young adult named Cathy. With the recent passing of her father, the fact that she’s failing school, and the unfortunate circumstances of her boyfriend Victor breaking up with her, Cathy is faced with a lot of adversity from the beginning of the book.

When she decides to further investigate the reasons Victor broke up with her, she discovers some hard truth and strange facts about Chinese ancestry. Cathy’s best friend, Emma, is a very important character in the plot, as she knows a lot about Cathy and will help solve the mystery.

I gave the novel five out of five paws because I believe the story deserves the honor. The book was extremely well-written and couldn't have been any better, in my opinion. The fact that the book was an interactive mystery only enhances the originality and creativity of the storyline. I particularly enjoyed the book because it draws the reader into the mystery of Cathy and her interesting disappearance.

The story combines intellect and mystery in order to form this beautifully composed piece of literature. The hard evidence provided in the side pocket of the book made the book interesting, yet challenging. I loved how the author completed the novel with clues and facts, which added the spark needed to finish reading the story. Like most books, Cathy’s Book started out rather slow, but finished with a bang.

I feel anything else that could be added to the book would only prohibit the reader from unlocking the mystery. It had the perfect amount of data to make the story interesting, without being unbearable. In addition to the entertainment value, the novel taught me a lot about Chinese ancestry, which I didn’t even realize until the end.

Although the story is entirely fictional, I found myself caught up in the mystery of Cathy Vickers. I would recommend the book to high school students because of the challenge involved in reading and solving. Overall, I feel Cathy’s Book will have an impact on the literature world, if it has not already.

- Darla Conti, Grade 11, Struthers High School, Struthers, OH

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The Prophet of Yonwood

Jeanne DuPrau

Random House

This book, the third in The City of Ember series, is about a girl named Nickie who has three goals: the first is to stay at a house she inherited, the second is to fall in love, and the third is to make the world a better place. The story revolves around a prophet, the prophet’s religion, and her friend Grover. The way it ends creates a very twisted story and leaves you unsure of what happens next.

This book was pretty good, but it’s pretty slow in the beginning. Nothing happens that is really exciting until the end. I really like this book’s atmosphere—you expect doom all throughout the book. I think this book should have been the first of the series. If you haven’t read any of The City of Ember books read this one first.

- Robert Mainzer, Grade 8, Saint Andrews Sewanee, Sewanee, TN

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Black Powder

Staton Rabin

Simon & Schuster

I risk sounding like Lemony Snicket, but never, ever even open this book of just nameless smart-impersonating stupidity. This book has hippy bashing, scientists with bad jokes, and a plot that has no coherency. The story is about a kid named Langston whose friend is shot. When he then receives an invitation to go to his science teacher’s house, he catches a ride with a hippy in a milk truck, and the author uses an offensive rendition of the hippy’s personality to try to create humor. The science teacher’s reason to invite him over is because she has made a time machine. Langston goes back in time to stop his friend’s death.

This book is terrible, and the people have no personality or life. The book makes me sad just reading it. It does nothing imaginative. This book is also hard to understand. For example it splits Langston into three when he travels back in time and just randomly throws in that he’ll be stuck in the past if he stays for six days. This book should be either rewritten or thrown in the trash. Do not under any circumstances pay for this book.

Robert Mainzer, Grade 8, Saint Andrews Sewanee, Sewanee, TN

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Beyond the Dragon Portal

Melissa Glenn Haber

Dutton Children’s Books

Sadie Guthrie’s life turned for the worst on the fateful day she awoke to find Mrs. Fitz Edna, the baby sitter, weeping. Upon asking, she learned that her younger sister Phoebe had vanished. Her sister had gone to Dragonland, she concluded. Her sister always dreamt of it or at least said she did. She had been doing this since the age of three, but Sadie never believed her sister’s stories. Also, Mrs. Fitz Edna was not really a baby sitter; she wasn’t even a human. Mrs. Fitz Edna was a dragon. Sadie could tell by the blue smoke that was emerging from Mrs. Fitz Edna’s nose and mouth.

As the story unfolds, Sadie meets many more dragons, who claim her sister was taken by the Barbazion. Later, she meets the Lalawani who also claim to be fighting the Barbazion. Unfortunately, she finds herself alone in the attempt to rescue her sister. Will she have the strength, persistence, will, and persistence to succeed, or will she be stopped by the mysterious Barbazion?

This book is for children of all ages, although I recommend it for younger children. It wasn’t one the best books I’ve read, because it wasn’t very descriptive and didn’t have as much action as I would have liked. It also seemed to leave the reader “alone” for awhile until the author decided to explain some of the events. This book wasn’t very interesting and didn’t flow very well. Therefore, I would advise the reader to hang on for as long as it may take for some action to take place.

- Kyriakos Theophanous, Grade 7, Boardman Center Middle School, Boardman, OH

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Quadehar the Sorcerer (The Book of the Stars: Book 1)

Erik L’Homme

Scholastic, Inc.

Robin is an average twelve year old who can’t wait to turn thirteen. Like everyone else, he goes to school, hangs around with his friends, and faces school bullies. He lives on The Lost Isle. The Lost Isle was once part of the mainland, but it drifted off in a terrible storm, and it is now stuck between the Real World and the Uncertain World, a strange world where nothing is normal. The Isle’s only protection is two one-way doors that separate The Lost Isle from the Real World and the Uncertain World. Robin’s father left his family using one of these doors, leaving Robin clueless to his father’s identity. Robin is chosen to become Quadehar, the Sorcerer’s apprentice. While trying to cope with his father’s absence as well as his studies, he embarks on an epic journey into the Uncertain World to save a fellow classmate.

This great read is for kids of all ages. It is the first of a series of books called The Book of the Stars series. It is very easy to follow, and it is just as easy to comprehend. It also has dialogue and action that add to its invigorating effect. It doesn’t take long for the thrilling plot to envelope you. If you are looking for an excellent fantasy book, then this may be it!

- Kyriakos Theophanous, Grade 7, Boardman Center Middle School, Boardman, OH

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The Coming of Dragons (The Darkest Age: Book 1)

A.J. Lake

Bloomsbury

What begins as an abnormal storm at sea for eleven-year-old hideaway Prince Edmund and the ship captain's daughter, Elspeth, steadily grows much worse. What caused this storm was a vicious dragon named Torment, and Torment is after a locked chest aboard the ship. However, the beginning of Darkest Age isn't about Torment just yet. It is about Edmund, the Ripente with the greatest gifts—Ripentes are spies and traitors that can look through the eyes of others and see their thoughts--and Elspeth, who was chosen by the crystal sword locked inside of the chest. They are now on the run from an evil sorcerer--another skilled Ripente--while being accompanied by a mysterious minstrel. These two children first reject their gifts, but they end up accepting them and even relying on them when the time calls for it. The book ends on a big cliffhanger which I won't give away, but it'll leave you wondering: What now?

I can't wait to read the next book of the Darkest Age series, even if it is aimed for kids much younger than me. The book was well written, the characters were developed and full of mysteries and secrets. I liked that the book was set in ancient Britain and included elements of royalty, knights, magic, dragons, and evil gods with vengeful ideas. It was well worth reading.

I recommend The Coming of Dragons to all who enjoy magic and dragons.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Ithaka

Adele Geras

Harcourt

Ithaka is a fast-paced, exciting tale of the ancient Greek island which was home to famous war hero, Odysseus. But this is not the story of Odysseus. This is the story of the not-so-faithful Penelope and the love-bound Telemachus. This is also the tale of old Argos, faithful hunting dog of Odysseus' youth.

The story is told through Klymene, a loyal servant who is much like a daughter to Penelope. She sees the destruction the long absence of her king brings as a manipulative girl comes in, tearing apart her twin brother and the prince she has loved her whole life. Then the suitors move in, demanding that the Queen of Ithaka marry them. Klymene hates them, but there is something that helps the girl in her life during these times: She can see the gods of Greece and their influences over life as the suitors' reigns of terror continue. They take away the people that she and the rest of the kingdom love, but they bring in love with them, too, in the most unexpected places. Join Klymene as she learns the secrets of Ithaka and the gods during a perilous time when all she can do is wait for her king to return home.

Ithaka is a new story spun off the tales from the Odyssey. It's not the same story as everyone has been told. Penelope is not the faithful wife--in fact, she has a quite elicit love affair. Telemachus falls prey to a girl enchantress—as do countless others—as they can only see her surface beauty. In fact, it seems that, despite the fact that she sees gods such as Hades, Artemis, Aphrodite, Pallas Athena, and Ares at every turn, Klymene seems to be the only one who can keep her head straight.

I recommend this novel to high school students and those interested in old Greek myths and legends come to life.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre

Ann Rinaldi

Harcourt

The Boston Massacre: it is a haunting piece of history that led us to the American Revolution. In Ann Rinaldi's startling tale, she brings 1770 to life through the eyes of a Boston girl named Rachel Marsh. Rachel Marsh is an indentured servant for John Adams.

It is a dangerous time for the citizens of Boston. Mobs everywhere are in an uproar over the Townsend Acts and the tax on their tea. So, what does the "good" king of England do? He sends his British soldiers to Boston to control the angry "Americans".

Rachel doesn't understand this new term given to them. American. What does that mean to her exactly? She isn't sure, but the events leading up to the fifth of March, 1770, show her the kind of person she is and where she is supposed ot belong. Is Rachel a true American, or is she still loyal to the Crown?

Backed up by a full history of characters including John and Abigail Adams, Sam Adams, Crispus Attucks, Henry Knox, and John Hancock, The Fifth of March is a beautiful story of harsh and terrifying events, and one girls' journey to self-discovery.

As she does in her previous book, Ann Rinaldi brings a piece of history to life with flare. Not only is Rachel a likeable character, but she's one of us: a girl looking for her place in the world and trying to help the people she loves. She risks everything for the friendship of Matthew Kilroy, a British soldier, while still remaining loyal to her "America". Rinaldi's writing brings to life people long dead and forgotten in history books.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in American history, a strong heroine, and violence.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Lena

Jacqueline Woodson

Putnam

"We could tell somebody. Please don't go." Those are some of the last words Marie says to her friend Lena before Lena runs away at the end of I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This. This is where Newberry Honor winning author Jacqueline Woodson picks up the story in Lena. Lena and Dion, her younger sister, are on the run. Lena can't let them stay with their father any longer, not if he's touching Dion the way he touches her. So, disguised as young boys, the girls hit the road, trying to make it to Kentucky. Lena figures that if she can make it to Kentucky, to her mother's people, maybe she can find a home for her and her sister. But when an old woman named Miz Lily gives them a ride, Lena starts coming to a startling revelation: they had a home all along. It was back in Chauncey, the place they had run from. Maybe their home was not with their abusive father, but with Marie and the other kind people in Chauncey. Is Lena's search for a home finally at an end for her and Dion?

Lena is a story of one girl's journey to protect her sister and give them a home. Where I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This was in Marie's point of view, Lena is told from from Lena Brights' perspective. The love between the two sister is evident in the text and dialogue exchanges between them. It's a great story, which is to be expected of such a respected author.

If you enjoy realistic fiction and Jacqueline Woodson, Lena is a book you want to read.

-Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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A Chalice of Wind (Balefire: Book 1)

Cate Tiernan

Razor Bill

Thais Allard and Clio Martin are nothing alike. Thais is an all-around "good girl" who doesn't drink or skip school. Clio is a wild child who drinks to her heart's content. It seems like the Connecticut safe-girl and the New Orleans party-girl have nothing in common... Except that they're actually identical twins who come from a long line of witches. What Thais and Clio discover about each other, however, is hardly comforting.

Apparently, twins are feared in their family, for if they come of age in their magic powers, they could join as one and become amazingly powerful. In a world where magic must be controlled, this is dangerous, and so are the twins. Frightening visions of the coven Balefire haunt the girls, and so do the dangers that threaten their lives now that they've found each other. They do each find a comfort: a suave, gorgeous Frenchman who is much more than he says. The coven of Balefire has returned, and they are ready to initiate Thais and Clio so they can be the Treize again. However, when the first set of twins enters the ritual, one ends up dying giving birth...

...And the other becomes corrupted by darkness.

I was enamored with A Chalice of Wind. The characters are so diverse and beautiful, seductive and innocent, it's hard not to like them in some way. There were some characters I didn't like, such as Luc-Andre and Daedalus, but the others I accepted for their uniqueness. Of the twins, I liked Thais more because she doesn't understand any of the world she's just fallen into, and she is somewhat innocent. The story itself is amazing and suspenseful, making the reader guess at what's going on and what will happen next. The author, Cate Tiernan, really delivers a powerfully story that is full of magic, just like in her previous series, Sweep.

If you love witches, treachery, curses, and hot guys, this is definitely the book for you. Add A Chalice of Wind to your book collection today.

Similar books include the Sweep series, also by Cate Tiernan, The Unseen Quartet by Richie Cusick, and The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima.

-Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Devilish

Maureen Johnson

Razor Bill

It all started with a red chocolate cupcake, projectile vomit, and a seemingly innocent sophomore. That's how Jane Jarvis began to lose her best friend Allison Concord to the woes of popularity. After Allison's embarrassing moment, she came back changed: new hairstyle, new clothes, new attitude. Jane was bewildered, not only by Allison, but by the things happening around her: giant hail storms, a cute freshman stalker, and being told that Allison sold her soul for popularity.

The freshman, Owen, tells Jane that the new sophomore Lanalee is making Allison believe that she sold her soul. So Jane does the only thing she can think of: she makes a bet with Lanalee. Jane is willing to trade her soul for Allison's, but if she can get a kiss from her ex-boyfriend by midnight on the night of Poodle Prom, she is free.

Suddenly, shock sets in. This is for real. Lanalee is a demon, Owen is a 116-year-old fourteen-year-old, and Allison and Jane are both in serious trouble. It's up to Jane now to find a way to get Lanalee to break her contract. But how do you defeat a demon you can't trick or kill?

Devilish is a wicked treat full of humor, friendship, romance, and the battle for human souls. Jane is a hero for all--even brainless, gullible sisters. Maureen Johnson is a talented writer, producing a great book once again.

I recommend Devilish to anyone interested in the infamous battle between good and evil.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Buried

Robin Merrow MacCready

Dutton

Buried is a deep psychological thriller about one girl dealing with her mother's alcoholism. Claudine is only seventeen, but she's been a mother to her mom almost all her life. Now her mother has disappeared again, and Claudine isn't sure where. In fact, she isn't sure of much.

Claudine's obsessive compulsive disorder has kicked into overtime. She's told everyone that her mother is in rehab. She wakes up with memory lapses, dirt caked on her hands and under her fingernails. All the things and feelings she has buried because of her mother are now surfacing. And on the night of a terrible hurricane, the secrets of Claude's mother come unburied, and she has to face the reality of it all.

I thought Buried was good, but fast-paced and a little confusing. Claudine is jumpy, confused, and even begins to believe her own lies about her mother. The story itself was a jolt and made me want to get to the end to find out what happened between her and her mom, but the character of Claudine had me worried.

If you love to read realistic fiction and can stomach the woes of parental alcoholism, you will want to read Buried.

- Ashleigh Schmidt, Grade 11, Youngstown Early College, Youngstown, OH

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Endymion Spring

Matthew Skelton

Random House

Endymion Spring is a well written but uninspired book. It is about two kids called Blake and Duck who find a blank book called .... Endymion Spring. He asks a professor at Oxford about it and he gets a long winded response about how the book almost destroyed the last person who found it. If you can use the book, you get the Last Book which knows everything.

The book is very well written but it has no excitement. It drags on and on all the way through, leaving you unsatisfied with the journey and the ending. You throw it aside thinking "Now that was a waste of time." Do not read this book. It will frustrate you.

- Robert Mainzer Grade 8, Saint Andrews Sewanee, Sewanee, TN

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The Book of One Hundred Truths

Julie Schumacher

Delacorte Press

The Book of One Hundred Truths is about a girl named Theodora Grumman. She is 13 years old, and she is a liar. She is going on vacation at her Grandparents' house in New Jersey for the Summer, and when she leaves the airport, her mother gives her a special notebook to write 100 truths in it.

As soon as she gets to Jersey, Thea knows its going to be a ride, because there are many people in the house. On her adventures, she has to baby-sit her cousin Jocelyn, a sneaky,bossy,7-year-old girl. They go all over the town on her grandfathers old bike, Jocelyn riding in the front basket.

Thea's aunt seems to have a secret, and Jocelyn is curious. When Jocelyn finds out about Thea's notebook, she wants to know all about it. Thea gives Jocelyn clues to get her off her back most of the time. Then, one day, a tragic accident happens and Jocelyn and Thea end up in the hospital. She ends up spilling the whole truth about why she became a liar, and she finds out Jocelyn read her notebook. She discovers many things about herself.

I would recommend this book to all of my friends. I think it is perfect for middle school girls. Its a very different book and I've never read anything like it. It was very good, and I will read it again. The characters are very real, and the story has you feeling like you almost know the characters. It is very easy to understand and I really enjoyed reading it. It was the best book I've read this year!

-Megan Kloos, Age 12, Mercer Middle School, Mercer, PA

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Reiffen's Choice (Stoneways Trilogy, Book One)

S.C. Butler

Tom Doherty Associates Books

S.C. Butler's first novel begins with a stranger coming into the city of Valing where the young nephew of the King in Malmoret, Reiffen, and his mother, Giseve, live. The stranger leads us to believe that he is just in Valing for merry-making; however, first impressions are often deceiving. The stranger kidnaps Reiffen for the purposes of handing him over to the powerful Three--wizards who instill fear in all those who've heard of them. So, the adventure really begins when Reiffen’s odd group of friends set out to rescue their royal friend.

Although it is S.C. Butler’s first novel, Reiffen’s Choice is a believable, imaginative story wrapped around the power of friendship and the fight between good and evil. Butler adds a bit of magic so potent that it leaves his work pulsing with energy and imagination. The clever magic, woven into every sentence, holds on to you even as you reach the last word, so you turn the page expecting a whole new chapter! Teenagers with any hint of creativity will love this adventurous book that makes them travel through the lands of dwarves and humans alike. On a final note, Reiffen's Choice is a must-read, hot novel that Eragon and Eldest fans will love!!

- Bobbi Hartsock, Grade 10, Mercer Area High School, Mercer, PA

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Deep

Susanna Vance

Delacorte Press

When Birdie Sidwell goes on a vacation with her family to the Caribbean, she gets kidnapped by a man named Nicholas. Meanwhile, Morgan Bera leaves her family after a tragic incident that leaves someone dead. Birdie in just an average teen that has an average life. But Morgan is a 17-year-old sailor who lives on her own, because her parents aren't taking the proper care of her. Morgan is a fighter, but she is kind and wants to help others. Birdie just wants to have some action in her life. She doesn’t like that nothing amazing has ever happened to her. Birdie is trying to write a good book so that she can get it published, and she believes that only people that have had something amazing happen to them can write good books. In the end, the girls meet and help each other survive.

This book made me feel as if I was facing the characters’ troubles with them. In my opinion, it should be made into a movie. Deep is an amazing book, because Susanna Vance wrote it so that you could feel as if you were actually living the characters’ lives. She makes you want to help others.

This book would be appealing to middle schoolers through 10th grade. This book is great and is well-written. I hope others enjoy it as much as I did.

- Crissy Hartsock, Grade 9, Mercer Area High School, Mercer, PA

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Miracle on 49th Street

Mike Lupica

The Penguin Group

Miracle on 49th Street is about a 12-year-old girl whose mother dies of cancer. Molly lives in London before her mom loses her battle with cancer. After she dies, Molly Parker has to go live with her mom's old college friend, Barbara, in Boston. Before her mom dies, Molly gets a lot of letters from her. One letter tells Molly about her father, who doesn’t know she exists. Molly's dad isn't any ordinary person. Molly's dad is Josh Cameron.

Josh Cameron is basketball royalty. He is MVP of the championship-winning Boston Celtics. During the annual Kids practice function that the Boston Celtics hold, Molly attends and meets her father face-to-face. She tells him afterward that he is her father. First, Josh thinks that Molly is trying to get money out of him, but then, after spending quality time with her, he realizes that she acts like her mom and has something that reminds him of himself.

Molly is a very likeable person. She has such an outgoing personality that everyone is drawn to her. She plays a major role in this story, and she makes the story interesting.

Miracle on 49th Street is a very realistic book. Everyday, kids are born without active fathers, and everyday, millions of hearts are broken. Molly's heart doesn't get broken completely. Her heart gets patched back up.

This book is good because it is about everything that is important in life: friendship, loyalty, and making your dreams come true. This book is for everyone. Every kid, adult and in-between should read Miracle on 49th Street.

- Skylar Hartsock, Grade 8, Mercer Area High School, Mercer, PA

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The Mislaid Magician, or Ten Years After

Patricia C Wrede and Caroline Steuermer

Hartcourt Inc.

In this book about the complicated magical troubles of Cecilia and Kate, the cousins’ letters, along with their husbands’, take us through a challenging magical problem. Cecy, as Cecilia signs her letters, and her husband James are asked by Lord Wellington to investigate the disappearance of surveyor Herr Magus Schellen. They must leave their four kids with Kate and Thomas as they travel north for their mission.

With four additional kids to watch, Kate is rarely able to find herself a peaceful or dull moment. The older children are being taught to do little bits of magic by her husband, who's a wizard. She and Thomas must watch as the children learn to scare their parents-Cecy and James- on their mission. Then, in the midst of things, Kate and Thomas' son Edward goes missing. Suddenly, Kate and Thomas are pulled further into Cecy and James' mission.

Cecy and James have found themselves a dog who just happens to be their missing engineer/surveryor, Herr Magus Schellen. Apparently, there are magic lines beneath the Earth’s surface that can be controlled. Wherever these lines cross, a stone circle is built around the intersection point. If either a wizard or magician passes into the stone circle, they are immediately transformed into a dog. Kate finds this out as she passes through a intersection point on her own property.

This book is imaginative and humorous, and it will fascinate readers of all ages. The authors create a believable world through the hurriedly scrawled letters between Cecy, Kate and their husbands. Excitement, worry, and amusement have somehow wrangled themselves into the lives and letters of these adults. And, with that, The Mislaid Magician has won itself a place as one of my favorites.

-Bobbi Hartsock, Grade 10, Mercer High School, Mercer, PA

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Fish

L.S. Matthews

Yearling

From the time he was born, his parents called him Tiger, because he was a real fighter. When Tiger's country goes to war and the war comes to his town, he has to go across the border into the next country where he will be safe. However, the next coutnry orders all guards at the border to stop anyone from crossing into it. Tiger's family hires a guide to take them across the mountains.

Just before they start their journey, Tiger finds a fish in a mud puddle. He begs his parents to let him catch and keep it. His parents say he can take it with him if he can catch it without getting dirty. Tiger does just that.

Tiger faces many difficulties during his long journey. First, he has problems with his feet. They become swollen and bloody from walking such a long distance in his sandals. Next, his family runs out of food and water. Tiger's family faces many difficulties throughout the rest of their journey.

Fish is a somewhat believable book. It has believable parts but there are some parts that are unrealistic. The author dosen’t really give a lot on information on the characters. She doesn’t even give many names.

The book was okay, because it was cool to find out how Tiger’s family got across the border, But I wish the author shared more names to make the story more personal. I think that this story would appeal to sixth through eighth grade.

- Skylar Hartsock, Grade 8, Mercer High School, Mercer, PA

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Impulse

Ellen Hopkins

Margaret K. McElderry Books

Aspen Springs: a place most people wouldn’t go, unless they did